Caspofungin: a review of its characteristics, activity, and use in intensive care units.

Caspofungin: a review of its characteristics, activity, and use in intensive care units.

Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2020 Jul 14;:

Authors: Hashemian SM, Farhadi T, Velayati AA

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Candidemia is the fourth frequent reason of health care-related bloodstream infections in critically ill patients. For initial management of (suspected) invasive candidiasis in critically ill patients, usage of an echinocandin, e.g. caspofungin, has been recommended.
AREAS COVERED: In this study, characteristics of caspofungin and its using in intensive care unit (ICU) patients are reviewed based on an electronic search using pubmed and Google scholar.
EXPERT OPINION: Caspofungin is a semisynthetic derivative from pneumocandin B and the first member of the echinocandins that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fight fungal infection. Caspofungin inhibits the enzyme β(1,3)-D-glucan synthase of the fungal cell wall resulted in inhibition of the synthesis of β(1,3)-D-glucan. Caspofungin tolerability is similar to fluconazole tolerability (but with fewer drug interactions) and may be better than that of amphotericin B. For critically ill patients, inter and intra individual variations affect the caspofungin concentration. The incidence rates and densities of candidemia in surgical ICUs may be higher than medical ICUs resulting in a higher burden of candidemia in surgical ICUs. However, the mortality rate in surgical ICU patients with candidemia is higher than that medical ICU patients due to differences in their underlying conditions.

PMID: 32662712 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Source: Industry