Posaconazole as salvage treatment of invasive fungal infections in patients with underlying renal impairment

The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of posaconazole in patients with underlying renal impairment. We analysed the efficacy and safety of posaconazole in patients with renal impairment in a post hoc subanalysis of a Phase 3, multicentre, open-label trial in patients with invasive fungal infections (IFIs). In the Phase 3 study, 330 patients intolerant of or with IFIs refractory to standard antifungal therapy received posaconazole 800 mg daily in divided doses. In our subanalysis, 238 patients with proven/probable IFIs, including 65 patients with renal impairment (creatinine clearance < 50 mL/min or serum creatinine (sCR) level > 2 mg/dL at baseline) and 173 patients with greater renal function [creatinine clearance >= 50 mL/min (acceptable renal function)], formed the modified intent-to-treat population. Success was defined as complete or partial response, and non-success was defined as stable disease or treatment failure. Overall response rates were similar in the renal impairment group (49%) and in the acceptable renal function (50%) group. Seventeen of the 41 patients with renal impairment and aspergillosis responded. Adverse events occurred in 32/65 (49%) patients with renal impairment and in 72/173 (42%) patients with acceptable renal function. The most common adverse events in both groups were nausea (14% patients with renal impairment versus 8% with acceptable renal function), altered/elevated levels of other medications (8% versus 2%), increased sCR levels (6% versus 0%), vomiting (6% versus 4%), abdominal pain (5% versus 5%) and dizziness (5% versus 1%). These results suggest that posaconazole is effective and well tolerated in patients with refractory IFIs regardless of renal impairment.