Effects of inflammation on voriconazole levels: A systematic review

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to review the studies evaluating the effect of the inflammatory state on voriconazole (VRZ) levels. Methods: The study included randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and case–control studies that focused on the influence of the inflammatory state on VRZ levels. Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, relevant articles published until 2021 were searched in several databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Results: Twenty studies were included in this review, of which 15 described adult populations, three described paediatric populations, and two included both adult and paediatric populations. Seventeen studies used C-reactive protein (CRP) as an indicator of inflammation, six described a dose–response relationship for the effect of inflammation represented by CRP on VRZ concentrations, and four examined the effect of CRP on the metabolic rate of VRZ. Conclusions: Our findings showed that the level of inflammation can significantly affect VRZ levels. However, the effect of inflammation on VRZ concentrations in children is controversial and must be analysed along with age. Clinicians dosing VRZ should take into account the patient's inflammatory state. The impact of inflammation on genotype-based dosing decisions requires further study to explain the high pharmacokinetic variability of VRZ.