Background: Data on posaconazole in the critically ill are scarce. In the POSA-FLU study, we examined the prevention of influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis with posaconazole in this population.
Methods: In this observational sub-study, we performed a pharmacokinetic analysis, including protein binding and target attainment (TA). Blood samples were collected over a 24 h-dosing interval on both an early (Day 2 or 3) and a later (≥Day 4) treatment day.
Results: Target attainment was shown for AUC0-24 and Cmin prophylaxis but not for Cmin treatment. Moreover, a saturable protein binding with a significant, positive relationship between albumin concentrations and the maximum binding capacity was observed.
Conclusions: Our analysis indicates that posaconazole may be a suitable drug to further investigate for prophylaxis, as TA for prophylaxis was reached. Exposure targets for treatment were insufficiently attained in this population.
Keywords: critically ill patients; exposure; posaconazole; target attainment; unbound concentrations.
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