Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40391929›Full record

Trial reportAntimicrobial agents and chemotherapy2025

Population pharmacokinetics of penicillin G: insights into increased clearance at low concentrations to guide development of improved long-acting formulations for syphilis and prevention of rheumatic fever.

Okhee Yoo, Sam Salman, Thel K Hla, Joshua Osowicki, Madhu Page-Sharp, Julie A Marsh, Renae Barr, Kristy Azzopardi, Michael Morici, Kevin T Batty and 9 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Okhee YooWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-7285-1953
Sam SalmanWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8276-6784
Thel K HlaWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Joshua OsowickiTropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9432-6700
Madhu Page-SharpCurtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
Julie A MarshWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Renae BarrWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Kristy AzzopardiTropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Michael MoriciWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Kevin T BattyCurtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3850-1778
Stephanie L EnkelWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4075-0781
Joseph KadoWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3121-4397
Lara HatchuelLinear Clinical Research, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Alma FulurijaWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
James S McCarthyThe Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6596-9718
Thomas SnellingSydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Andrew C SteerTropical Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Jonathan CarapetisWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Laurens ManningWesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4334-5351

Funding

DHAC | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) APP1187743Stan Perron Charitable Foundation (Stan Perron Charitable Trust) 000990
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Although benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) is listed by the World Health Organization as an Essential Medicine, dose optimization is a persistent challenge, especially for long-acting intramuscular formulations. Maintaining sustained antibiotic exposure at target concentrations is crucial for secondary chemoprophylaxis of rheumatic heart disease and treatment of syphilis. This study compared the pharmacokinetic profile of continuous low-dose benzylpenicillin infusions with a standard-dose bolus and evaluated which renal function marker (serum creatinine, cystatin C, or combined e-glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) best predicted clearance. Healthy adult volunteers received a single 600 mg IV benzylpenicillin bolus followed by randomization to continuous infusions targeting steady-state concentrations of 3, 6, 9, 12, or 20 ng/mL. Plasma benzylpenicillin concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using NONMEM by incorporating both bolus and infusion data, and various GFR estimations were evaluated as covariates for clearance. Data from 72 participants were analyzed, including 504 bolus and 389 continuous infusion samples. A two-compartment model improved fit when the ratio of central volume of distribution between bolus and low-dose infusion was incorporated, and clearance differences at steady state plasma concentration of 3 ng/mL were accounted for. Of the GFR estimations, cystatin C-based eGFR significantly enhanced model fit compared with creatinine-based equations. Benzylpenicillin pharmacokinetics at very low concentrations demonstrated both a higher volume of distribution and increased clearance. Cystatin C-based eGFR may more accurately predict benzylpenicillin clearance, enabling precision dosing for long-acting preparations used for treatment of syphilis and prevention of rheumatic fever.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsPenicillin GRheumatic FeverSyphilisAdultCreatinineCystatin CDelayed-Action PreparationsFemaleGlomerular Filtration RateHealthy VolunteersHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAnti-Bacterial AgentsCreatinineCystatin CDelayed-Action PreparationsPenicillin Gbenzathine penicillin Gbenzylpenicillincystatin CeGFRpenicillin Gpharmacokineticspopulation PK modelingrenal clearancerheumatic feverrheumatic heart diseasesyphilis

Identifiers

PMID40391929
PMCPMC12217478

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.