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Pharmacokinetics and safety of tadalafil in a paediatric population with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A multiple ascending-dose study

Small D, Ferguson-Sells L, Dahdah N, Bonnet D, Landry J, Li B

British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2019

19 participants · 11 citations

Abstract

AIMS: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics and safety of once-daily (QD) tadalafil in paediatric patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to establish an appropriate dose range for further research.

METHODS: This was an open-label, multicentre, international, multiple-ascending-dose study. Patients aged ≥2 years were enrolled into 1 of 3 cohorts based on body weight: heavy-weight (≥40 kg), middle-weight (25 to <40 kg), and light-weight (<25 kg). Each patient received tadalafil QD for 10 weeks: 5 weeks at a low dose, then 5 weeks at a high dose. The doses for each cohort were intended to produce plasma tadalafil concentrations within the range produced by 5-10 mg (for the low dose) or 20-40 mg (for the high dose) of tadalafil in adults with PAH. Area under the plasma concentration-time curve during 1 dosing interval (AUCτ ), maximum concentration, and apparent clearance were assessed throughout the trial, as were safety and tolerability.

RESULTS: The study enrolled 19 patients aged 2-17 years, weighing 9.9-76.0 kg. Tadalafil's median (range) steady-state AUCτ at the high dose was 7243 (3131-13 088) ng•h/mL across all patients. Concentrations were higher in no bosentan-treated patients than in bosentan-treated patients, but both populations were within the range of respective adult patients taking 20-40 mg QD. Tadalafil had an acceptable safety profile consistent with the known safety profile of tadalafil in adults.

CONCLUSIONS: Tadalafil 40 mg QD for patients ≥40 kg,…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a clinical trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 19 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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