Associations of cumulative voriconazole dose, treatment duration, and alkaline phosphatase with voriconazole-induced periostitis

Skeletal Radiol. 2025 Jan;54(1):41-47. doi: 10.1007/s00256-024-04707-2. Epub 2024 May 17.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the associations of cumulative voriconazole dose, treatment duration, and alkaline phosphatase with voriconazole-induced periostitis.

Materials and methods: One hundred and thirty-one patients with voriconazole use were identified using a clinical informatics tool. Health record data including age, sex, immune status, alkaline phosphatase, voriconazole levels, voriconazole dose, frequency, and treatment duration were collected. Imaging studies during the duration of treatment were reviewed by two radiology trainees and imaging features of voriconazole-induced periostitis were confirmed by a board-certified musculoskeletal radiologist. The length, location in the body, location in the bone, type, and morphology of periostitis lesions were recorded. Incident voriconazole-induced periostitis was defined as new periostitis on imaging after 28 days or more of voriconazole treatment in the absence of an alternative diagnosis. Univariate Firth's logistic regression models were performed using cumulative voriconazole dose, treatment duration, and average ALP as predictors and incident VIP as the outcome.

Results: There were nine patients with voriconazole-induced periostitis and 122 patients without voriconazole-induced periostitis. The most common lesion location in the body was the ribs (37%) and morphology was solid (44%). A 31.5-g increase in cumulative voriconazole dose was associated with 8% higher odds of incident periostitis. Increased treatment duration (63 days) and higher average alkaline phosphatase (50 IU/L) were associated with 7% higher odds of periostitis and 34% higher odds of periostitis, respectively.

Conclusion: Increased cumulative voriconazole dose, treatment duration, and average alkaline phosphatase were associated with higher odds of voriconazole-induced periostitis.

Keywords: Fungal infection; Medication-related bone disease; Skeletal fluorosis; Voriconazole-induced periostitis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alkaline Phosphatase* / blood
  • Antifungal Agents* / adverse effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Duration of Therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Periostitis* / chemically induced
  • Periostitis* / diagnostic imaging
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Voriconazole* / administration & dosage
  • Voriconazole* / adverse effects

Substances

  • Voriconazole
  • Alkaline Phosphatase
  • Antifungal Agents