Tuberculosis after gastrectomy, plasmatic concentration of antitubercular drugs

Abstract

We report pharmacokinetic data on two gastrectomized, patients affected by tuberculosis. Drugs plasmatic concentrations were measured after seven days of oral therapy by a validated high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method and the area under the concentration-time-curve (AUC) over 24 hours (AUC_0-24) was calculated. A sub-therapeutic level of isoniazid was found in a patient with total gastrectomy with a C_max of 0,395 mg\L and AUC_0-24 level of 4.75 hr*mg/L. The level of the other antitubercular drugs was adequate. Measurement of drug level in gastrectomy patients with tuberculosis is warranted.