Safety, feasibility and rifapentine plasma concentration in Chinese children with 1 month of daily rifapentine plus isoniazid for tuberculosis infection

One month of daily rifapentine plus isoniazid (1HP) is a new regimen for tuberculosis infection (TBI) to lower the incidence of active TB. But it had not been prescribed for Chinese children and optimal dosage of daily rifapentine for children remains controversial. We aim to assess the feasibility and safety of 1HP in young Chinese children with TBI, and to provide evidence for extrapolating dosing strategies to children. An open-label, prospective, single-arm clinical trial was conducted among eligible participants (aged ≤ 14 years old). Completion rate, safety and Rifapentine concentrations of 1HP regimen were analyzed. Eighty children were enrolled in our study. 98.75% (79/80) of participants completed the treatment, with only one case (1.25%) in 6-14 years group of non-completion because of rash. 6.25% (5/80) experienced grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs), with no serious adverse events (SAEs) or deaths reported. The relationship between rifapentine concentration (mg/L) and time (days) in children stratified by age and weight demonstrated lowest rifapentine concentration in participants less than 2 years old and less than 15kg when compared to the other subgroups. 1HP regimen is safe and feasible for young Chinese children with tuberculosis infection. Weight-based daily rifapentine (10-15 mg/Kg) might not be enough for young children, particularly for those younger than 2 years old and less than 15kg.