Potential Contributors To The Decreased Vitamin B6 Levels After Transplantation

Vitamin B6 deficiency as measured by plasma concentrations of pyridoxal 5` phosphate (P5P), the active form of vitamin B6, has been reported in several organ transplant recipients. The highest incidence of vitamin B6 deficiency has been observed in small bowel transplant recipients. The current study evaluated the potential mechanisms (increased degradation of P5P due to higher levels of alkaline phosphatases; or decreased formation of P5P due to decreased expression and activity of pyridoxal kinase) that may contribute to such observations. Higher plasma concentrations of alkaline phosphatases, decreased plasma albumin concentrations and higher amount of excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid in the urine of small bowel transplant patients supported the role of increased degradation of P5P. Of the various medications used by transplant patients that were tested using computation approach, pantoprazole, trimethoprim, acyclovir, valganciclovir and mycophenolic acid appeared to be most likely to inhibit pyridoxal kinase. Tacrolimus, the primary immunosuppressive drug used in most transplant recipients had limited impact on pyridoxal kinase expression and activity. A pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, decreased the expression and activity of pyridoxal kinase in primary cultures of human hepatocytes. The higher plasma concentrations of TNF-α observed in small bowel transplant patients is consistent with a decreased activity of pyridoxal kinase in the liver of these patients, and supported decreased formation of P5P also as a contributor to the observed vitamin B6 deficiency. Additional studies in an animal model where an organ that was not directly involved in the absorption, formation or degradation of vitamin B6 (a composite allograft tissue transplantation), showed a significant reduction in the expression of pyridoxal kinase in the liver. This suggested that the process of organ transplantation (immune activation and inflammation) itself led to vitamin B6 deficiency. Our studies indicate that vitamin B6 deficiency is expected in all transplant recipients; however, the magnitude of deficiency is likely to be affected by the immunogenicity of the transplanted organ and the immune status of the patient. Given the potential effect of vitamin B6 deficiency (neurotoxicity), and the low cost of vitamin B6, it is prudent to consider supplementation of all transplant patients with vitamin B6

Survival implications vs. complications: unraveling the impact of vitamin D adjunctive use in critically ill patients with COVID-19—A multicenter cohort study

BackgroundDespite insufficient evidence, vitamin D has been used as adjunctive therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19. This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of vitamin D as an adjunctive therapy in critically ill COVID-19 patients.MethodsA multicenter retrospective cohort study that included all adult COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) between March 2020 and July 2021. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their vitamin D use throughout their ICU stay (control vs. vitamin D). The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were the length of stay (LOS), mechanical ventilation (MV) duration, and ICU-acquired complications. Propensity score (PS) matching (1:1) was used based on the predefined criteria. Multivariable logistic, Cox proportional hazards, and negative binomial regression analyses were employed as appropriate.ResultsA total of 1,435 patients were included in the study. Vitamin D was initiated in 177 patients (12.3%), whereas 1,258 patients did not receive it. A total of 288 patients were matched (1:1) using PS. The in-hospital mortality showed no difference between patients who received vitamin D and the control group (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.87–1.71; p = 0.26). However, MV duration and ICU LOS were longer in the vitamin D group (beta coefficient 0.24 (95% CI 0.00–0.47), p = 0.05 and beta coefficient 0.16 (95% CI −0.01 to 0.33), p = 0.07, respectively). As an exploratory outcome, patients who received vitamin D were more likely to develop major bleeding than those who did not [OR 3.48 (95% CI 1.10, 10.94), p = 0.03].ConclusionThe use of vitamin D as adjunctive therapy in COVID-19 critically ill patients was not associated with survival benefits but was linked with longer MV duration, ICU LOS, and higher odds of major bleeding

Patterns of antibiotic use and administration in hospitalized patients in Jordan

Background: Inappropriate use of antibiotics is the leading cause of emergence of resistance. It has been estimated that two million people in the United States had infection with resistant bacteria, resulting in 23,000 deaths annually. In Jordan, more than 50% of physicians prescribe antibiotics for inappropriate indication such as common cold, and approximately 67% of adult Jordanians believe that antibiotics should be used for this purpose. It is essential to follow antibiotics prescription guidelines in order to maximize effectiveness and enhance patient safety. Objective: The study aim was to describe patterns of antibiotics prescription and adherence to guidelines of IV to oral antibiotic conversion in elderly patients visiting King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH). Methods: A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted on hospitalized patients who were prescribed IV antibiotics. Sociodemographic and clinical data in addition to a list of IV prescribed antibiotics was collected by referring to information technology department at KAUH. Patients' eligibility for antibiotic conversion from IV to oral route was then evaluated based on Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America criteria. Results: A total of 110 antibiotics were dispensed for 80 patients, imipenem/cilastatin was the most prescribed antibiotic (41.25%), followed by cephalosporines which were prescribed for 27.5% of the participants. Approximately half of the study patients (47.5%) were prescribed IV antibiotics despite their eligibility for oral conversion. Conclusion: This study shows a shortage in the implementation of guidelines which are important to decrease antibiotic resistance and improving clinical outcomes. The clinical Pharmacist needs to be more involved in antibiotics prescription with the aim of improving effectiveness and decreasing potential antimicrobial resistance in hospital settings. Keywords: IV antibiotics, Oral antibiotics, Clinical pharmacy, Hospitals, Jorda

Unveiling medication errors in liver transplant patients towards enhancing the imperative patient safety

Background: Medication errors (MEs) are a significant healthcare problem that can harm patients and increase healthcare expenses. Being immunocompromised, liver-transplant patients are at high risk for complications if MEs inflict harmful or damaging effects. The present study reviewed and analyzed all MEs reported in Liver Transplant Patients. Methods: All MEs in the Liver Transplant Patients admitted between January 2016 to August 2022 were retrieved through the computerized physician order entry system, which two expert pharmacists classified according to the type and severity risk index. Results: A total of 314 records containing 407 MEs were committed by at least 71 physicians. Most of these errors involved drugs unrelated to managing liver-transplant-related issues. Antibiotic prescriptions had the highest mistake rate (17.0%), whereas immunosuppressants, routinely used in liver transplant patients, rank second with fewer than 14% of the identified MEs. The most often reported MEs (43.2%) are type-C errors, which, despite reaching patients, did not cause patient harm. Subgroup analysis revealed several factors associated with a statistically significant great incidence of MEs among physicians treating liver transplant patients. Conclusion: Although a substantial number of MEs occurred with liver transplant patients, the majority are not related to liver-transplant medications, which mainly belonged to type-C errors. This could be attributed to polypharmacy of transplant patients or the heavy workload on health care practitioners. Improving patient safety requires adopting regulations and strategies to promptly identify MEs and address potential errors