Computational Opioid Prescribing: A Novel Application of Clinical Pharmacokinetics

We implemented a pharmacokinetics-based mathematical modeling technique using algebra to assist pre-scribers with point-of-care opioid dosing. We call this technique computational opioid prescribing (COP). Because population pharmacokinetic parameter values are needed to estimate drug dosing regimen designs for individual patients using COP, and those values are not readily available to prescribers because they exist scattered in the vast pharmacology literature, we estimated the population pharmacokinetic parameter values for 12 commonly prescribed opioids from various sources using the bootstrap resampling technique. Our results show that opioid dosing regimen design, evaluation, and modification is feasible using COP. We conclude that COP is a new technique for the quantitative assessment of opioid dosing regimen design evaluation and adjustment, which may help prescribers to manage acute and chronic pain at the point-of-care. Potential benefits include opioid dose optimization and minimization of adverse opioid drug events, leading to potential improvement in patient treatment outcomes and safety

A Case-Control Study of Maternal Periconceptual and Pregnancy Recreational Drug Use and Fetal Malformation Using Hair Analysis

Maternal recreational drug use may be associated with the development of fetal malformations such as gastroschisis, brain and limb defects, the aetiology due to vascular disruption during organogenesis. Using forensic hair analysis we reported evidence of recreational drug use in 18% of women with a fetal gastroschisis. Here we investigate this association in a variety of fetal malformations using the same method