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Ferdjallah A, Nelson KM, Meyer K, Jennissen CA, Ebens CL. Isavuconazonium Sulfate Use in Multi-Modal Management of Invasive Mucormycosis in Four Pediatric Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Patients. The journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics : JPPT : the official journal of PPAG. 2021 Nov 10; 26(8):863-867.
Prolonged neutropenia increases the risk for lethal invasive fungal infections (IFIs) such as those caused by species. Isavuconazonium sulfate is a new triazole that lacks pediatric dosing recommendations. Clinical courses of 4 pediatric patients with IFIs in the peri-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) period between 2015 and 2017 were reviewed. The reviews included previously unreported pharmacokinetic and safety data, and the IFIs included . Isavuconazonium sulfate was initiated with a loading dose followed by daily dosing, adjusted to a goal trough concentration of > 3 mg/L based on adult literature. This target was achieved at a median of 7 days, demonstrating varying rates of metabolism. Renal insufficiency, electrolyte disturbances, and transaminitis were noted, although attribution was confounded by other alloHCT complications. One patient survived infection-free to hospital discharge and 1 of 3 deceased patients had evidence of an unresolved IFI (case 2). Case 2 was subtherapeutic for 39% of the duration of treatment, compared with others at an average of 29%, suggesting this target trough to be clinically relevant because case 2 demonstrated positive sinus and nasal cultures for on autopsy. We recommend initiation of isavuconazonium 10 mg/kg with a maximum dose of 372 mg. A loading dose of 10 mg/kg is used every 8 hours for 6 doses followed by 10 mg/kg dosing every 24 hours. Monitoring must continue beyond steady state. If early monitoring is not possible, we recommend a first drug level at week 3. If dose increases are required, a partial reload has been more successful instead of increasing daily doses. Further larger studies are needed to demonstrate optimum dosing in pediatric patients.