Amoxicillin-Induced Neurotoxicity: Contribution of a Healthcare Data Warehouse to the Determination of a Toxic Concentration Threshold.

BACKGROUND: Amoxicillin (AMX)-induced neurotoxicity is well described and may be associated with AMX overexposure. No neurotoxic concentration threshold has been determined thus far. A better knowledge of maximum tolerable AMX concentrations is of importance to improve the safety of high doses of AMX. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study using the local hospital data warehouse EhOP® to generate a specific query related to AMX neurotoxicity symptomatology. All patient medical reports containing a mention of neurotoxicity clinical symptoms coupled with AMX plasma concentration measurements were explored. Patients were classified into two groups according to the imputability of AMX in the onset of their neurotoxicity, on the basis of chronological and semiological criteria. A receiver-operating characteristic curve was performed to identify an AMX neurotoxic steady-state concentration (Css) threshold. RESULTS: The query identified 101 patients among 2054 patients benefiting from AMX TDM. Patients received a median daily dose of 9 g AMX, with a median creatinine clearance of 51 mL/min. A total of 17 of the 101 patients exhibited neurotoxicity attributed to AMX. The mean Css was higher for patients with neurotoxicity attributed to AMX (118 ± 62 mg/L) than those without 74 ± 48 mg/L (p = 0.002). A threshold AMX concentration of 109.7 mg/L predicted the occurrence of neurotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified, for the first time, an AMX Css threshold of 109.7 mg/L associated with an excess risk of neurotoxicity. This approach needs to be confirmed by a prospective study with systematic neurological evaluation and TDM.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw under palbociclib: A case series description.

INTRODUCTION: Cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw have been reported by dental surgeons to the pharmacovigilance center in Rennes, France, occurring among patients treated with palbociclib, a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor. Although this event was not expected with the drug, a safety signal was raised. Describing a local case series, the aim of our study was to identify specific patterns that might suggest a triggering role for these drugs, and to discuss pathophysiological hypotheses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective case series of patients exposed to cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors between 2016 and 2020 with a diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the jaw at the Rennes Dental Care Center was analyzed. The descriptive analysis was conducted on patient demographics, breast cancer characteristics, osteonecrosis of the jaw, biological data, and exposure to cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors. RESULTS: We identified eight cases, most of them at stages 0-1 (62.5%). Four patients were still exposed to palbociclib at the time of diagnosis and four had discontinued the treatment before the diagnosis. Chronological imputability could not be excluded given the drug's half-life and the variable intervals of dental monitoring from one patient to another. All patients had at least one dental osteonecrosis risk factor (including dental extraction, dentures, and denosumab exposure at the time of diagnosis). Neutropenia and mucositis were not systematically reported at the time of diagnosis. The anatomopathological characteristics were nonspecific. CONCLUSION: We did not identify a specific pattern that could suggest a triggering role of palbociclib in the development of ONJ.

Incidence and preventability of hospital admissions for adverse drug reactions in France: A prospective observational study (IATROSTAT).

AIMS: In the last French study in 2007, the incidence of hospital admissions (HAs) related to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was 3.6%. The objective was to assess the current ADR-HA incidence in France and to describe both its characteristics and preventability. METHODS: A prospective multicentre study was conducted among randomly selected French public hospital medical wards (April-July 2018). Patients admitted during a week period were included. ADR-HA cases were collected by the French Regional Pharmacovigilance Centres network. An independent committee validated potential cases and ADR preventability. RESULTS: ADR-HA incidence was 8.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.6-9.4%), increasing with age (3.3% [95%CI: 1.8-5.5%] ≤16 y vs. 10.6% [95%CI: 9.3-12.0%] ≥65 y). The most common ADRs were haemorrhagic events (8.8%), haematological disorders (6.5%), acute renal failure (6.3%), fluid and electrolyte disorders (6.0%), and falls (5.2%). New drugs were involved: targeted therapies (22.8% of antineoplastics), direct oral anticoagulants (29.6% of antithrombotics) and incretin-based drugs (20.0% of antidiabetics). ADRs were preventable in 16.1% of cases because the drugs involved had not been used in accordance with monographies, package leaflets or other therapeutic guidelines. The main situations of noncompliance addressed either dose or duration of use (27.9%), warning (23.2%), use precaution (18.6%) and inappropriate self-medication or misuse by patients (11.6%). CONCLUSION: In France, ADR-HA incidence dramatically increased over the last decade. A significant proportion was related to new pharmacological classes and considered as preventable. These findings should lead to in-depth thought on preventive actions on at-risk drug classes.

Real-world safety profiles of pirfenidone and nintedanib in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients.

INTRODUCTION: While pirfenidone and nintedanib have greatly influenced the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), both drugs have significant early adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and almost nothing is known of their rare and delayed ADRs. We collected and analyzed pirfenidone- or nintedanib-related ADRs identified in a French rare lung disease center, recorded their profiles and identified potential safety signals. METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of IPF patients treated with pirfenidone or nintedanib between January 2011 and January 2020 at the Rennes University Hospital to estimate the incidence of serious and non-serious ADRs cases due to each drug and the incidence of ADRs involving the cardiovascular, hepatobiliary, gastro-intestinal, dermatological, and metabolic/nutritional systems. RESULTS: The 176 patients included 115 (65%) initially treated with pirfenidone and 61 (35%) given nintedanib. ADRs occurred in 78.3% of those given pirfenidone and in 70.5% of those given nintedanib. The incidence of first serious ADRs cases was about 33 per 100 person-years (100 PY) for both drugs; first non-serious pirfenidone ADRs cases were 102 per 100 PY and 130 per 100 PY for nintedanib. The incidence involving each organ system were quite similar, except for the gastro-intestinal and skin disorders. Cardiovascular disorders occurred in about 10 cases per 100 PY in both pirfenidone and nintedanib patients. DISCUSSION: Most ADRs were consistent with the expected antifibrotic drug safety profiles. As arterial and venous thromboembolic events are rare, it is important to assess the risk associated with using antifibrotics by a dedicated pharmacoepidemiological study.

Assessing the Risk of Relapse Requiring Corticosteroids After In Vitro Fertilization in Women With Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Several studies have shown an increased risk of relapse after In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in women with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), especially when a GnRH agonists stimulation protocol was used. Our objective was to investigate the risk of relapse after IVF in women with multiple sclerosis, overall and according to stimulation protocol (GnRH agonists vs antagonists), using data from the French national health insurance database. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all women with MS who have benefited from IVF between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2015 in France. Three-month exposed periods after IVF were compared to unexposed periods before IVF, each woman being her own control. Four outcomes were considered: annualized relapse rate (ARR), proportion of IVF with relapse, difference in the number of relapse "after - before" and the delay from IVF to the first relapse. Relapses were identified by an algorithm based on MS-related hospital admissions and use of corticosteroid therapy. Stimulation protocols and disease-modifying therapies (DMT) were identified using drugs claims. Zero-inflated Poisson regression models adjusted for age at IVF and presence of DMT were used. A random effect on the woman was included because women may have multiple IVF procedures. Subgroup analyses by stimulation protocol and IVF outcome (pregnancy or failure) were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 225 women accounting for 338 IVF were included (mean age at first IVF 34.6 ± 4.5 years; 36% of women had at least two IVF during the period). No increase in the risk of relapse after IVF was found overall (before vs. after IVF: respectively 0.20 vs. 0.18 relapse per patient-year; resp. 7.7% vs. 7.1% of IVF with women having at least one relapse) and in subgroups. A lower ARR before and after IVF was observed among women who remained treated until IVF. DISCUSSION: The maintenance of DMT until IVF appeared to be a determining factor in reducing the risk of relapse. Women with MS should be reassured as we did not show an increased risk of relapse requiring use of corticosteroids therapy after IVF neither with GnRH agonists nor with GnRH antagonists.

Management of drug-drug interactions with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in patients treated for Covid-19: Guidelines from the French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (SFPT).

OBJECTIVES: Nirmatrelvir in association with ritonavir (PAXLOVID™, Pfizer) is an antiviral agent targeting the 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease enzyme (3C-like protease or Mpro) which is a key enzyme of the viral cycle of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This combination with a well-known pharmacokinetic enhancer leads to a high risk for drug-drug interactions in a polymedicated elected population for treatment. The aim of this work was to provide recommendations on behalf of the national French society of pharmacology (French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics; SFPT), by suggesting optimal and pragmatic therapeutic strategies if nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is to be given together with drugs commonly used, in order to ensure secured physicians' prescription. METHODS: Six clinical pharmacologists search the scientific literature to provide a first draft of recommendations. Thereafter, twelve other clinical pharmacologists verified the recommendations and proposed modifications. The final draft was then validated by all 18 participants. RESULTS: Five distinct recommendations were issued: i) contra-indications, ii) "PAXLOVID™ not recommended with the comedication", iii) "PAXLOVID™ possible whether the comedication is discontinued", iv) "PAXLOVID™ possible only after an expert advice" and v) "PAXLOVID™ possible without modification of the associated treatment". The final document comprises recommendations for 171 drugs/therapeutic classes aiming to secure prescription. In complex situations, clinicians are advised to contact their pharmacology department to obtain specific recommendations on the management of drug-drug interactions with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. CONCLUSION: These recommendations intend to be a help for clinicians willing to prescribe nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and to prevent drug-drug interactions leading to adverse drug reactions or loss of efficacy. They constitute a guideline for primary care situations. Of course, some complex situations may require expert advices and here, again, clinical pharmacologists are at the forefront in providing therapeutic advice.

SARS-CoV-2 and Prevotella spp.: friend or foe? A systematic literature review.

During this global pandemic of the COVID-19 disease, a lot of information has arisen in the media and online without scientific validation, and among these is the possibility that this disease could be aggravated by a secondary bacterial infection such as Prevotella, as well as the interest or not in using azithromycin, a potentially active antimicrobial agent. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic literature review, to prove or disprove these allegations by scientific arguments. The search included Medline, PubMed, and Pubtator Central databases for English-language articles published 1999-2021. After removing duplicates, a total of final eligible studies (n=149) were selected. There were more articles showing an increase of Prevotella abundance in the presence of viral infection like that related to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Papillomavirus (HPV), Herpesviridae and respiratory virus, highlighting differences according to methodologies and patient groups. The arguments for or against the use of azithromycin are stated in light of the results of the literature, showing the role of intercurrent factors, such as age, drug consumption, the presence of cancer or periodontal diseases. However, clinical trials are lacking to prove the direct link between the presence of Prevotella spp. and a worsening of COVID-19, mainly those using azithromycin alone in this indication.

Prescribing Trends for Valproate Among Pregnant Women: A Cross-sectional Study in 2013 and 2016 Using the French Health Insurance Database.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To describe the prescribing trends for sodium valproate (VPA) and alternative drugs during and around pregnancy, comparing 2016 (after the recommendations on valproate for women were reinforced by the European Medicines Agency [EMA]) with 2013 (before the recommendations). METHODS: Using the French National Health Insurance Database, a cross-sectional study was carried out in 2013 and in 2016, including women who became pregnant and had at least 1 reimbursement claim for VPA in the 2 years prior to pregnancy or during pregnancy. Exposure to VPA and its alternatives was then measured for each quarter, in the 2 years before pregnancy (preconception), during pregnancy, and in the year after pregnancy (postpartum). RESULTS: Among pregnant women with epilepsy (n = 2,607 pregnancies), the proportion exposed to VPA during pregnancy decreased from 26.4% to 9.3% between 2013 and 2016, alongside an increase in lamotrigine and levetiracetam use. Among pregnant women with bipolar disorder (n = 4,278 pregnancies), the proportion of women exposed during pregnancy decreased from 3.7% in 2013 to 1.9% in 2016, without any switch to alternative drugs. In both populations, fewer than one third had consulted a specialist before pregnancy. DISCUSSION: As recommended by the EMA, a change in practice over the 2013-2016 period was observed, with fewer women exposed to VPA during pregnancy and before pregnancy. However, in 2016, a large number of women were exposed to VPA in the first trimester of pregnancy (n = 471), which could suggest that the timing of pregnancy should be better planned when possible.

Association of Antihypertensive Agents with the Risk of In-Hospital Death in Patients with Covid-19.

PURPOSE: The role of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), or other antihypertensive agents in the case of Covid-19 remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between antihypertensive agent exposure and in-hospital mortality in patients with Covid-19. METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicenter cohort study on patients hospitalized between February 1 and May 15, 2020. All patients had been followed up for at least 30 days. RESULTS: Of the 8078 hospitalized patients for Covid-19, 3686 (45.6%) had hypertension and were included in the study. In this population, the median age was 75.4 (IQR, 21.5) years and 57.1% were male. Overall in-hospital 30-day mortality was 23.1%. The main antihypertensive pharmacological classes used were calcium channel blockers (CCB) (n=1624, 44.1%), beta-blockers (n=1389, 37.7%), ARB (n=1154, 31.3%), and ACEi (n=998, 27.1%). The risk of mortality was lower in CCB (aOR, 0.83 [0.70-0.99]) and beta-blockers (aOR, 0.80 [0.67-0.95]) users and non-significant in ARB (aOR, 0.88 [0.72-1.06]) and ACEi (aOR, 0.83 [0.68-1.02]) users, compared to non-users. These results remain consistent for patients receiving CCB, beta-blocker, or ARB as monotherapies. CONCLUSION: This large multicenter retrospective of Covid-19 patients with hypertension found a reduced mortality among CCB and beta-blockers users, suggesting a putative protective effect. Our findings did not show any association between the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and the risk of in-hospital death. Although they need to be confirmed in further studies, these results support the continuation of antihypertensive agents in patients with Covid-19, in line with the current guidelines.

The Trigger Tool Method for Routine Pharmacovigilance: A Retrospective Cohort Study of the Medical Records of Hospitalized Geriatric Patients.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to assess the feasibility of the trigger tool method for the retrospective detection of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the Rennes University Hospital. The secondary objective was to describe the performance of the method in terms of positive predictive values (PPVs) and severity or preventability of ADRs. METHODS: Using the Rennes University Hospital clinical data warehouse, pharmacovigilance experts performed a retrospective review of a random sample of 30 inpatient hospital medical records per month using the triggers "fall" and "delirium" to identify related ADRs among patients 65 years and older in 2018 in the geriatrics department. Using the Z test, we compared the proportion of medical records with a positive (identified) trigger related to an ADR, which were reviewed within 20 minutes using the reference of 50% reviewed within 20 minutes. RESULTS: Among the 355 medical records reviewed, 222 had at least 1 trigger and 98 at least 1 related ADR. Among the 222 positive trigger medical records, 99.6% were reviewed in under 20 minutes (P < 0.001). The pharmacovigilance assessment took 3 months. The PPVs reached 53.9% (46.0%-61.7%) for falls and 21.0% (14.3%-27.5%) for delirium. Among the ADRs, 80% were serious and 53% were preventable. CONCLUSIONS: Given the low PPV of the triggers used and the considerable need for technical and human resources, the trigger tool method cannot be used as a routine tool at the pharmacovigilance center. However, it could be implemented occasionally for specific purposes such as monitoring the impact of risk minimization measures to prevent ADRs.

Pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis in France from 2010 to 2015: Incidence, outcomes, and exposure to disease-modifying therapies.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is usually diagnosed between 20-40 years old, when women often plan to have children. OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to estimate pregnancy incidence rates in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), and to describe the use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) before conception and during pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all 15- to 49-year-old women with MS in the French national health insurance database over 2010-2015. A pregnancy was exposed if a DMT reimbursement claim occurred during pregnancy or in the 14 preceding days. We used zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression models to estimate incidence rates and ordinal and multinomial regression models to estimate DMT exposure and pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: The pregnancy incidence rate was 4.5 per 100 person-years. The probability of having a DMT-exposed pregnancy increased from 0.22 in 2010 to 0.30 in 2015. The probability of live birth was 0.72 (95% CI = 0.70-0.74) for exposed pregnancies (varied considerably among DMTs), 0.77 (95% CI = 0.76-0.79) without treatment, and 0.81 (95% CI = 0.79-0.83) if treatment was stopped within the previous year. CONCLUSION: In this population-based study, we showed an increase of exposed pregnancies over time, beta-interferon and glatiramer acetate being the most used DMTs and associated with the highest probabilities of live birth. Interrupted exposed pregnancies may reflect undesired pregnancies or fear of an adverse outcome, while recent DMT stop probably reflects pregnancy planning.

Impact of recommendations on sodium valproate prescription among women with epilepsy: An interrupted time-series study.

BACKGROUND: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has developed risk minimization measures (RMMs) to reduce the use of the teratogenic drug, sodium valproate (VPA). The objective was to assess the impact of these RMMs among females with epilepsy in France. METHODS: We used data from the French National Health Insurance Database (SNDS), including 114,936 females aged under 50, with a reimbursement claim for an antiepileptic drug from January 2011 to December 2017, and identified as people with epilepsy. We used a controlled interrupted time series stratifying on age: girls (0-14 years old) and women of childbearing age (15-49 years), and with 129,917 males as controls. RESULTS: VPA prevalent use among girls and women of childbearing age with epilepsy decreased significantly after the issue of the RMMs (trend changes of, respectively, -5 and -4 users per 1000 females at-risk per quarter in comparison to the control group). We did not detect any significant change in VPA incident use. CONCLUSIONS: VPA use decreased over the study period among females with epilepsy but there were still 317 women and 206 girls started on VPA therapy VPA in 2017 (8 per 1000 at-risk and 18 per 1000, respectively). This suggests that either the measures should be strengthened or that the lowest level of VPA use has been reached. In this context, the introduction of a new RMM (in 2018) needs to be evaluated.

[Side effects of longterm oral corticosteroid therapy]. / Effets indésirables de la corticothérapie orale au long cours.

Side effects of long-term oral corticosteroid therapy. Systemic corticosteroid therapy has been used for over 70 years, and is still the cornerstone of the treatment of many conditions, in particular systemic, autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. Side effects of corticosteroids are numerous, and for most of them well known by prescribers. Nonetheless, guidelines for the prevention of corticosteroids toxicity are scarce, and the implementation of protective measures by prescribers is heterogenous. Hence, corticosteroids related complications entail a significant morbidity, which, importantly, could be largely prevented. We conducted therefore a systematic literature, through the Medline database, the Cochrane database and the grey literature until January 2021. After recalling the history of the discovery of corticosteroid therapy and its main pharmacological properties, we present the various complications associated with long-term corticosteroid therapy, and discuss the relevance of the preventive measures that may be proposed in daily practice in the light of available scientific evidence. This work highlights the importance of multidisciplinary follow-up, but above all of a thorough screening of the risk factors of complications at treatment initiation, and of a repeated evaluation of the complications all along the treatment course, in order to reduce the significant burden of morbidity associated with long-term corticosteroid therapy and to improve patient quality of life.

Effets indésirables de la corticothérapie orale au long cours. La corticothérapie systémique est utilisée depuis plus de 70 ans et reste la pierre angulaire du traitement de nombreuses affections. Ses effets indésirables sont nombreux et, pour la plupart, bien connus. Pour autant, les recommandations concernant leur prévention sont parfois manquantes, et souvent hétérogènes, y compris dans leur mise en œuvre par les prescripteurs. De ce fait, les complications induites par la corticothérapie sont à l'origine d'une morbidité importante, la plupart du temps évitables. Nous avons donc réalisé une revue systématique de la littérature, à travers les bases Medline, Cochrane et la littérature grise, jusqu'à janvier 2021. Après avoir rappelé l'histoire de la découverte de la corticothérapie et ses principales caractéristiques pharmacologiques, nous présentons les différentes complications associées à une corticothérapie au long cours et les mesures de prévention disponibles, en discutant leur efficacité et leur pertinence à la lumière des recommandations actuelles ou, à défaut, des dernières données scientifiques disponibles. Ce travail met en évidence l'importance du suivi multidisciplinaire des patients traités par corticothérapie systémique au long cours, mais surtout celle d'un dépistage préalable des facteurs associés à la survenue de complications et de réévaluations répétées de ces complications sous traitement, afin de diminuer le poids très important de la morbidité qui y est associée et ainsi d'améliorer la qualité de vie des patients.

REview of potentially inappropriate MEDIcation pr[e]scribing in Seniors (REMEDI[e]S): French implicit and explicit criteria.

PURPOSE: To establish a consensus on both explicit and implicit criteria in order to identify potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in French older people aged 75 years and over or 65 years and over with multimorbidity. METHODS: Fifteen experts in geriatrics, general practice, pharmacy, and clinical pharmacology were involved in a two-round Delphi survey to assess preliminary explicit and implicit criteria based on an extensive literature review and up-to-date evidence data. Experts were asked to rate their level of agreement using a 5-level Likert scale for inclusion of criteria and also for rationale and therapeutic alternatives. A consensus was considered as reached if at least 75% of the experts rated criteria as "strongly agreed" or "agreed." RESULTS: The new tool included a seven-step algorithm (implicit criteria) encompassing the three main domains that define PIP (i.e. overprescribing, underprescribing, and misprescribing) and 104 explicit criteria. Explicit criteria were divided into 6 tables related to inappropriate drug duplications (n = 7 criteria), omissions of medications and/or medication associations (n = 16), medications with an unfavourable benefit/risk ratio and/or a questionable efficacy (n = 39), medications with an unsuitable dose (n = 4) or duration (n = 6), drug-disease (n = 13), and drug-drug interactions (n = 19). CONCLUSION: The REMEDI[e]S tool (REview of potentially inappropriate MEDIcation pr[e]scribing in Seniors) is an original mixed tool, adapted to French medical practices, aimed at preventing PIP both at the individual level in clinical practice and the population level in large-scale studies. Therefore, its use could contribute to an improvement in healthcare professionals' prescribing practices and safer care in older adults.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize healthcare workers' (HCWs) intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the beginning of the vaccine campaign in France. METHODS: Data were collected on a self-administered questionnaire through the website of a tertiary care center (February 9-18, 2021). RESULTS: Among 1,965 respondents, 1,436 (73.1%), 453 (23.1%), and 76 (3.9%) declared themselves in favor, hesitant, or against the COVID-19 vaccine: <60% of auxiliary nurses and technicians intended to be vaccinated, as compared to 60-79% of nurses and support staff, and>80% of medical staff. On multivariate analysis, age, occupation, flu vaccine history, and controversy over the AstraZeneca vaccine tolerability were independently associated with COVID-19 vaccine intention. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of vaccine hesitancy related to the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are similar among HCWs. Media communication on vaccine side effects have a dramatic effect on vaccine hesitancy. Efforts are requested to inform HCWs about the risk/benefit balance of COVID-19 vaccines.

Chronic use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers and mortality in COVID-19: A multicenter prospective cohort and literature review.

AIMS: The role of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockers on the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is debated. We assessed the association between chronic use of RAAS blockers and mortality among inpatients with COVID-19 and explored reasons for discrepancies in the literature. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included adult hypertensive patients from a prospective nationwide cohort of 3512 inpatients with COVID-19 up to June 30, 2020. Cox proportional hazard models with various adjustment or propensity weighting methods were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) of 30-day mortality for chronic users versus non-users of RAAS blockers. We analyzed data of 1160 hypertensive patients: 719 (62%) were male and 777 (67%) were older than 65 years. The main comorbidities were diabetes (n = 416, 36%), chronic cardiac disease (n = 401, 35%), and obesity (n = 340, 29%); 705 (61%) received oxygen therapy. We recorded 135 (11.6%) deaths within 30 days of diagnosis. We found no association between chronic use of RAAS blockers and mortality (unadjusted HR = 1.13, 95% CI [0.8-1.6]; propensity inverse probability treatment weighted HR = 1.09 [0.86-1.39]; propensity standardized mortality ratio weighted HR = 1.08 [0.79-1.47]). Our comprehensive review of previous studies highlighted that significant associations were mostly found in unrestricted populations with inappropriate adjustment, or with biased in-hospital exposure measurement. CONCLUSION: Our results do not support previous concerns regarding these drugs, nor a potential protective effect as reported in previous poorly designed studies and meta-analyses. RAAS blockers should not be discontinued during the pandemic, while in-hospital management of these drugs will be clarified by randomized trials. NCT04262921.

Analysis of the association between emergency dialysis start in patients with end-stage kidney disease and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton-pump inhibitors, and iodinated contrast agents.

BACKGROUND: The association between the use of potentially nephrotoxic drugs [Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), Iodinated Contrast Agents, Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)] and emergency start of dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease has not been well explored, although these compounds are commonly prescribed or available without prescription. METHODS: In this study, the Renal Epidemiology Information Network (REIN) registry data of all patients ≥ 18 years of age who started dialysis in France in 2015 were matched with those in the French National Health Insurance Database. The association between clinical characteristics, nephrotoxic drug exposure and emergency dialysis start was investigated. Patients were categorized into four classes of NSAID and PPI exposure (new, current, past, no user) on the basis of the pre-dialysis exposure period (1-30, 31-90, and 91-365 days). For iodinated contrast agents, exposure in the 72 h and 7 days before dialysis was analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 8805 matched patients, 30.2% needed to start dialysis in emergency. After adjustment for socio-demographic and clinical variables, new NSAID users were more likely to experience emergency dialysis start [OR = 1.95; 95% CI (1.1-3.4)]. This association was higher for new than for current users [OR: 1.44; 95% CI (1.08-1.92)]. Emergency dialysis start was also associated with iodinated contrast agent exposure in the previous 7 days [OR: 1.44; 95% CI (1.2-1.7)]. No significant relationship was detected between PPIs and emergency dialysis start. CONCLUSIONS: Using both clinical and healthcare data, this study shows that emergency dialysis start is independently associated with recent exposure to NSAIDs and iodinated contrast agents. This suggests the need to strengthen the information given to healthcare professionals and patients with regard to nephrotoxic drugs.

[Adverse drug reactions profiles for abiraterone and enzalutamide: A pharmacovigilance descriptive analysis]. / Profils d'effets indésirables sous abiratérone et enzalutamide : analyse descriptive des données de la base nationale de pharmacovigilance.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the profile of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) observed with abiraterone and enzalutamide, based on cases registered in the French regional pharmacovigilance centres to identify potential pharmacovigilance signals. METHODS: We extracted from the French pharmacovigilance database all cases of ADRs or drug interactions involving abiraterone or enzalutamide from the time they market authorization date until December 31st, 2017. Signal detection results have been transmitted by the French Agency for Health Products (ANSM). The data were compared with those of the risk management plans for each drug and the literature. RESULTS: Among the 233 observations analyzed, nearly 62% involved abiraterone as a suspect drug and 38% involved enzalutamide; only 1 case involved both drugs. The ADRs profile is different between the drugs. Abiraterone is mostly associated with expected cardiac diseases (heart failure, and QT prolongation), expected with the drug. Also described, several cases of hepatotoxicity have been reported, however some cases with fatal outcome suggest that despite a follow-up of the liver function tests, it is difficult to anticipate this risk. Signals concerning acute renal failure and ischemic stroke have arisen. Enzalutamide is more particularly associated with various neurological disorders (convulsions, hallucinations, fatigue, and memory impairment) expected with the drug. While ischemic heart disease is also expected, signals of heart failure and atrial fibrillation have arisen. A potential hepatotoxicity of the molecule is discussed because of cases of cholestatic hepatitis. CONCLUSION: The analysis of the French pharmacovigilance database cases allows to confirm an expected and monitored risk profile in the risk management plan for both drugs. Several signals have arisen, some of which will be investigated through a pharmacoepidemiology study.