Cholangitis Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Analysis of Pharmacovigilance Data.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are remarkable anticancer therapies that have revolutionized the oncological prognosis of many cancers.1 The considerable efficacy of ICIs is associated with the onset of more- or less-serious, immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) affecting several organs, which can concern up to 70% of patients, owing to a loss of self-tolerance during the restoration of antitumor immunity.2 Checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury (CHILI), which may occur in up to 25% of patients, is treated with steroids as first-line treatment, and immunosuppressive drugs as second-line treatment.3 Recently, ICI-induced cholangitis was described as an emerging irAE. Hence, Pi et al4 reviewed all 53 published cases of ICI-induced cholangitis and compared the different types of bile duct involvement. We recently described CHILI according to the biological profile: cholestatic, hepatocellular, or mixed.5 Cholestatic profiles were associated with macroscopic and/or microscopic bile duct damage, and time to resolution was significantly longer. More recently, Onoyama et al6 and Parlati et al7 described a poorer response to steroids in cases of biliary histologic damage or ICI-induced sclerosing cholangitis. The latest European Society for Medical Oncology guidelines include the management of cholangitis, which is succinct and still poorly documented.3 The aim of this study therefore was to analyze the cases of ICI-induced cholangitis reported in the French pharmacovigilance system to describe their clinical characteristics, evolution, and outcome.

Immune-related generalised oedema - A new category of adverse events with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Generalised oedema was occasionally reported associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs). The purpose of this study is to investigate immune-related generalised oedema (ir-GE) drug related to ICPI, through frequency, clinical and pathological characteristics, and patient's outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Objectives of the study were to report on ir-GE associated with ICPI to define frequency, associated signs and symptoms, pathological characteristics, severity, and response to corticosteroids. To be included in the study, adult patients had to have ir-GE related to ICPI with certain or likely link, without any other known causes of generalised oedema. The study design was observational, over the period 2014-2020, from pharmacovigilance databases in France, including the prospective Registre des Effets Indésirables Sévères des Anticorps Monoclonaux Immunomodulateurs en Cancérologie (REISAMIC) registry. Calculation of the frequency of ir-GE was restricted to the prospective REISAMIC registry. RESULTS: Over 6633 screened patients, 20 had ir-GE confirmed drug related to ICPI. Based on the prospective REISAMIC registry, the frequency of ir-GE was 0.19% of ICPI-treated patients (3 cases out of 1598 screened patients). The 20 patients with ir-GE had a median (range) age of 62 (26-81) years, most frequent tumour types were melanoma (n = 9; 45%) and lung cancer (n = 6; 30%). The most frequent localisations of oedema were peripheral (n = 17; 85%), pleural (n = 13; 65%), and peritoneal (n = 10; 50%). Polyserositis was observed in 11 (55%) patients. The median (range) weight gain per patient was 9 (2-30) kg. Associated signs and symptoms met criteria for capillary leak syndrome (n = 4; 20%), sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease (SOS/VOD) (n = 3; 15%), or subcutaneous autoimmune syndrome (n = 2; 10%). Corticosteroids were administered to 15 patients; of them, 10 (67%) improved clinically after corticosteroids. Based on CTCAEV5.0, the highest severity of ir-GE was grade ≥4 in 11 (55%) patients and four (20%) patients died due to ir-GE. CONCLUSIONS: Generalised immune system-related oedema is a new category of adverse event with immune checkpoint inhibitors and is often associated with a life-threatening condition. The pathophysiology may in some cases be related to endothelial dysfunctions, such as SOS/VOD or capillary leak syndrome.

Hospital databases for the identification of adverse drug reactions: A 2-year multicentre study in 9 French general hospitals.

AIMS: To estimate the actual number of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), we used the French medical administrative database (PMSI) in addition to ADRs spontaneously reported in the French Pharmacovigilance Database (FPVDB). METHODS: Capture-recapture method was applied to these 2 sources (PMSI and FPVDB), checking their independence via a third data source. The study ran from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016 in 9 French general hospitals. From PMSI, all discharge summaries including a selection of 10th International Classification of Diseases codes related to ADRs were analysed. This selection was based on the results of a previous study. All ADRs corresponding to these codes, spontaneously reported in the FPVDB, were included. RESULTS: In PMSI, 56.9% of hospital stays were related to an ADR (628 out of 1104). In the FPVDB, we retained 115 cases. A total of 43 ADRs were common to the 2 databases. In both sources, the most frequently reported ADRs were cutaneous (33.1 and 19.1%) and renal (25.2% and 11.6%). The most frequently suspected drugs were anti-infectives in PMSI (31.1%) and antineoplastic drugs in the FPVDB (30.4%). Using the capture-recapture method, the estimated number of ADRs was 1657 [95% CI: 1273 to 2040]. CONCLUSION: The use of the PMSI could constitute an additional tool for the estimation of the actual number of ADRs in French hospitals. A model involving a third data source enabled the independence of the 2 sources (PMSI and FPVDB) to be checked before applying the capture-recapture method.

Liquid formulation of ifosfamide increased risk of encephalopathy: A case-control study in a pediatric population.

BACKGROUND: Several clusters of encephalopathy occurred after the market change from Holoxan® (ifosfamide lyophilized powder) to Ifosfamide EG® (liquid formulation) and justified a formal survey in 2015. In June 2016, the regulatory authority decided to apply a precautionary measure in reducing the shelf life of Ifosfamide EG® at 7 months. One-year study from spontaneous reports lead to suspect a potential residual risk. Due to the many limitations associated with spontaneous notifications, we performed a multicentric observational study, aiming to better explore this pharmacovigilance signal. METHODS: We performed a case-control study in pediatric oncology Departments of 25 university hospitals between July 1st, 2016 and July 1st, 2018. All children (<18 y.o.) receiving liquid formulation or lyophilized powder formulation during the study period were included. Patients with at least one occurrence of encephalopathy were considered as cases. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio of encephalopathy between exposure groups. RESULTS: During the study period, 52 cases and 495 controls were included. A residual over-risk of encephalopathy was associated with ifosfamide 7-month shelf-life liquid formulation compared to lyophilized powder (adjusted OR 1.91, 95% CI: 1.03-3.53). CONCLUSIONS: Observed difference does not seem to be related to the pathology treated, the doses used, the co-medications, a meningeal localization and/or an irradiation of the central nervous system. This study confirms data from spontaneous reports that led to the precautionary measure for the liquid formulation. Even if the risk of encephalopathy seems reduced, our study suggests the persistence of a residual risk of encephalopathy associated with liquid formulation compared to the lyophilized powder.