Quantifying Rifampicin Distribution into CSF in Tuberculous Meningitis

A research paper by Noha Abdelgawad titled 'Population Pharmacokinetics of Rifampicin in Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid in Adults with Tuberculosis Meningitis' has been recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. 

This study addresses a crucial gap in understanding and treating tuberculosis meningitis (TBM). Abdelgawad et al. investigated the PKs of rifampicin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma, comparing standard (10 mg/kg) versus high-dose (35 mg/kg) rifampicin in adults with HIV-associated TBM.

The key finding of this research indicates that rifampicin shows poor penetration into the CSF. This result supports the ongoing evaluation of high-dose rifampicin and the potential development of new rifamycin-free treatment regimens to enhance treatment outcomes for TBM.

The full open-access article can be found here.