Safety of biologic therapy in combination with methotrexate in moderate to severe psoriasis: a cohort study from the BIOBADADERM registry.

BACKGROUND: Safety is an important consideration in decisions on treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and the study of drug safety is the main purpose of the BIOBADADERM registry. The combination of a biologic agent and a conventional systemic drug [generally methotrexate (MTX)] is a common treatment in clinical practice. However, there is a paucity of evidence from real-world practice on the safety of such combination regimens in the treatment of psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to ascertain whether the use of regimens combining biologic drugs with MTX in the management of moderate-to-severe psoriasis increases the risk of adverse events (AEs) or serious AEs (SAEs). We compared monotherapy using tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 inhibitors with the use of the same drugs in combination with MTX. METHODS: Using data from the BIOBADADERM registry, we compared biologic monotherapies with therapies that were combined with MTX. We estimated adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) using a random effects Poisson regression with 95% confidence intervals for all AEs, SAEs, infections and serious infections and other AEs by system organ class. RESULTS: We analysed data from 2829 patients and 5441 treatment cycles, a total of 12 853 patient-years. The combination of a biologic with MTX was not associated with statistically significant increases in overall risk of AEs or SAEs in any treatment group. No increase in the total number of infections or serious infections in patients receiving combined therapy was observed for any group. However, treatment with a TNF inhibitor combined with MTX was associated with an increase in the incidence of gastrointestinal AEs (aIRR 2.50, 95% CI 1.57-3.98; P < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of AEs and SAEs was not significantly increased in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving different classes of biologic drugs combined with MTX compared with those on biologic monotherapy.

Long-term safety of nine systemic medications for psoriasis: A cohort study using the Spanish Registry of Adverse Events for Biological Therapy in Dermatological Diseases (BIOBADADERM) Registry.

BACKGROUND: Registry studies broadly describing the safety of systemic drugs in psoriasis are needed. OBJECTIVE: To describe the safety findings of the systemic drugs acitretin, adalimumab, apremilast, cyclosporine, etanercept, infliximab, methotrexate, secukinumab, and ustekinumab used for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in patients included in the Spanish Registry of Adverse Events for Biological Therapy in Dermatological Diseases (BIOBADADERM) Registry. METHODS: The incidence rate ratio (IRR) and adjusted IRR (including propensity scores) of identified adverse events for each drug, using methotrexate as reference, were determined by means of a prospective cohort. RESULTS: Our study included 2845 patients (8954 treatment cycles; 9642 patient-years). Ustekinumab and secukinumab had the lowest rate of adverse events for several of the system organ classes, with a statistically significant decreased rate ratio (IRR of <1), whereas cyclosporine and infliximab had the highest, with an increased rate ratio (IRR of ≥5). LIMITATIONS: Observational study, drug allocation not randomized, depletion of susceptibles, and prescribed doses not registered. CONCLUSION: Our data provide comparative safety information in the real-life setting that could help clinicians selecting between available products.

Infecciones en pacientes tratados con antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral: incidencia, etiología y mortalidad en el registro BIOBADASER / Infections in patients treated with tumor necrosis factor antagonists: incidence, etiology and mortality in the BIOBADASER registry

Background and objectives: Whether the use of tumor necrosis factor antagonists increases the risk of infection remains a subject of open debate. Developing effective strategies of prevention and empirical treatment entails carefully establishing the etiology and prognosis of the infections.Patients and methods: Analysis of the Spanish registry BIOBADASER (Feb-2000 to Jan-2006), a national drug safety registry of patients with rheumatic diseases. Results: 907 episodes of infection occurring in 6,969 patients were analyzed. The infection incidence observed was 53.09 cases/1,000 patients-years (CI 95% 49.69-56.66). The most frequent infections were skin infection (12.18 cases/1,000 patients-yrs), pneumonia (5.97 cases/1,000 patients-yrs), cystitis (3.92 cases/1,000 patients-yrs), tuberculosis (3.51 cases/1,000 patients-yrs) and arthritis (3.76 cases/1,000 patients-yrs). Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella spp. emerged as important pathogens. Varicella zoster virus and Herpes simplex virus caused most cases of viral infections. Mucocutaneous candidiasis accounted for most fungal infections. Mortality was increased in infected patients (log-rank test p<0.0001). Pneumonia, sepsis, tuberculosis, abdominal infection and endocarditis were associated with significant attributable mortality.Conclusions: A significant number of bacterial, viral and fungal infections occurred in patients with rheumatic diseases treated with TNF antagonists. The information of this study can illuminate clinicians globally on how to address infection in this vulnerable group of patients (AU)

Fundamento y objetivo: El aumento del riesgo de infección en la utilización de los antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral (TNF) sigue siendo un tema de debate abierto. El desarrollo de estrategias eficaces de prevención y tratamiento empírico implica establecer la etiología y el pronóstico de las infecciones. Pacientes y métodos: Análisis del registro español BIOBADASER (febrero 2000 a enero 2006), un registro de terapias biológicas en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas.Resultados: En los 6.969 pacientes registrados a la fecha del análisis, se produjeron 907 episodios de infección. La incidencia de infección observada fue de 53,09 casos/1.000 pacientes-año (IC 95% 49,69-56,66). Las infecciones más frecuentes fueron las de piel (12,18 casos/1.000 pacientes-año), neumonía (5,97 casos/1.000 pacientes-año), cistitis (3,92 casos/1.000 pacientes-año), tuberculosis (3,51 casos/1.000 pacientes-año) y articulares (3,76 casos/1.000 pacientes-año). Emergen como patógenos importantes Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa y Salmonella spp. El virus de la varicela zóster y el virus del herpes simple causaron la mayoría de los casos de infecciones virales con germen identificable. La candidiasis mucocutánea fue la más frecuente entre las infecciones fúngicas. La mortalidad fue mayor en los pacientes infectados (p-log-rank<0,0001). La aparición de una neumonía, sepsis, tuberculosis, infección abdominal y endocarditis se asociaron significativamente con la mortalidad. Conclusiones: Un número significativo de infecciones bacterianas, víricas y fúngicas se produjeron en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas tratadas con antagonistas del TNF. La información de este estudio puede suponer un avance para la medicina sobre cómo tratar la infección en este grupo vulnerable de pacientes (AU)

Reacciones adversas relacionadas con la administración de inhibidores del TNF. Análisis de un registro de terapias biológicas / Adverse reactions related to the administration of TNF inhibitors. Analysis of a registry of biologic therapy

Objetivo: Estimar la frecuencia de aparición de las reacciones relacionadas con la administración (RRA), los síntomas asociados a las graves o tardías, la ventana de exposición desde inicio de la terapia biológica y si hay diferencias entre infliximab, etanercept y adalimumab. Pacientes y método: BIOBADASER es un registro de acontecimientos adversos establecido en 2001 para determinar la seguridad de las terapias biológicas en enfermedades reumáticas. Contiene datos de los pacientes, tratamiento y acontecimientos adversos relevantes. Resultados: Se registró un total de 496 RRA relevantes en 442 pacientes, lo que representa un 19,6% (496/2.531) de todos los acontecimientos adversos comunicados y un 6,3% de los pacientes registrados (442/6.969). La tasa de incidencia de RRA por 1.000 años-paciente con infliximab es de 28 casos (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 25-31), con etanercept 0,2 (IC del 95%, 0,1-0,4) y con adalimumab 0,2 (IC del 95%, 0,07-0,7). En más de la mitad de las RRA, el acontecimiento adverso da lugar a la interrupción del fármaco relacionado y en el 5% de los casos el paciente requiere ser hospitalizado. Más del 20% de las RRA ocurren después de 15 meses de tratamiento, incluso aparecen después de 5 años. En las reacciones adversas tardías los síntomas comunicados con más frecuencia son erupciones, fiebre, malestar general y mialgias. Conclusiones: Las RRA pueden aparecer en cualquier momento de la enfermedad, son una de las causas más frecuentes de interrupción de tratamiento con infliximab. Aunque con menor frecuencia, también se relacionan con etanercept y adalimumab en síntomas que pueden no identificarse como tales (AU)

Objective: To estimate the frequency of administration related reactions (ARR), the risk window from the starting date, and finally if there are any differences between infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab. Patients and method: BIOBADASER is an adverse events registry established in 2001 for active long-term follow-up of safety of biological therapies in rheumatic patients. Data from patients, diagnosis, treatment, and adverse events are recorded. Results: Four-hundred ninety six relevant ARR were registered, 19.6% (496/2531) of all the adverse events communicated and 6.3% (496/2531) of all the patients registered. The incidence rate per 1000 patients-year with infliximab is 28 cases (95% CI, 25-31), with etanercept 0.2 (95% CI, 0.1-0.4) and with adalimumab 0.2 (95% CI, 0.07-0.7). Treatment was interrupted in more than 50% of all the ARR and 5% of all patients were hospitalized. More than 20% ARR happened after 15 months of treatment; in addition 2 appeared after 5 years of treatment. In delayed reactions the symptoms that most frequently were recorded were rash, fever, malaise, and myalgia. Conclusions: ARR can appear in any moment of the treatment; they are among the most frequent causes of treatment interruption. Although with less frequency, ARR are also associated with etanercept and adalimumab with symptoms that cannot be identified as such (AU)

Resultados de la encuesta nacional de la infección por el VIH en Guinea Ecuatorial en 2004 / No disponible

Objetivos: Determinar la situación actual de la epidemia de VIH en Guinea Ecuatorial en población adulta de 15 a 49 años y calibrar los resultados con los actuales sistemas de vigilancia de la infección por el VIH en el país. Introducción: Las estimaciones de la carga de VIH en el África subsahariana presentan potenciales sesgos porque están basadas en los sistemas de vigilancia centinela obtenidos de las clínicas prenatales. Las encuestas nacionales de hogares pueden aportar datos para mejorar las estimaciones de la infección por el VIH. Material y Métodos: Se diseñó una encuesta nacional con muestreo polietápico por conglomerados y estratificado entre zonas rurales y urbanas. Se recogió sangre capilar en papel de filtro Whatmann Nº4 y se realizó detección de anticuerpos frente a VIH-1/2 mediante ELISA y posterior confirmación por Inmunoblot. Resultados: De las 1.449 muestras de sangre recogidas un total de 52 muestras resultaron positivas, 51 para VIH-1 y 1 para VIH-2. La prevalencia total de VIH fue del 3,2% IC = [2,0-4,4]. Para las mujeres fue de 3,4% [2,0-4,8] y para los hombres algo inferior, 2,9% [1,1-4,8] aunque sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Los resultados por estratos fueron para la población rural de 3,1% [1,4-4,7]) y en la zona urbana 3,3% (..) (AU)

Objective: To establish the reference situation of HIV epidemic in Equatorial Guinea in adult population aged 15-49 years and to calibrate the results with the current sentinel surveillance of the HIV infection in the country. Introduction: The estimates of HIV burden in sub-Saharan Africa are potentially biases because they are based on the sentinel surveillance among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics. National population based surveys can contribute additional information to improve the HIVestimates. Population and methods: A national survey was drawn using stratified (rural and urban settlement) multi-stage cluster sampling. Blood samples were collected on Whatmann Nº4 filter paper and were tested for HIV-1/2 antibodies by ELISA and Inmunoblot was used for confirmation. Results: From 1.449 dried blood spots collected a total of 52 samples were HIV positive, 51 were infected by HIV-1 and 1 by HIV-2. For the whole country HIV prevalence was 3,2% CI = [2,0-4,4]. In females, the prevalence was 3,4% [2,0-4,8] and in males it was slightly low, 2,9% [1,1-4,8]though without statistically significant differences. The results for each strata were 3,1% [1,4-4,7]), for the rural population, and 3,3% [1,5-5,1] in the urban area. A significant association was detected between HIV and; age, had suffered from STIs (OR=2,62; CI 95% = [1,21-5,7]), to manicure(2,53; [1,16-5,55]) and in the use of traditional medicine (8,26; [2,24-30,47]). Also between those who use condom sometimes versus those whonever use it (2,92; [1,24-6,89]).Conclusions: HIV prevalence in Equatorial Guinea is in intermediate levels between central (..) (AU)