Suboptimal moxifloxacin and levofloxacin drug exposure during treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: results from a prospective study in China.

Adequate drug exposure is important to ensure tuberculosis (TB) treatment efficacy and to avoid acquired drug resistance. Although low drug exposure has been reported for most anti-TB drugs, data on drug exposure in relation to minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) are scarce [1, 2]. A fluoroquinolone is a cornerstone in the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) resistant to rifampicin and isoniazid. The activity of fluoroquinolones is best described by the area under the concentration-time curve based on free drug in relation to MIC ( f AUC/MIC) [3, 4]. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Davies Forsman has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Niward has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Kuhlin has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Zheng has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Zheng has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Ke has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hong has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Wengren has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Paues has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Simonsson has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Eliasson has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hoffner has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Xu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Alffenaar has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Schon has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Bruchfeld has nothing to disclose.