Oral midodrine does not expedite liberation from protracted vasopressor infusions: A case-control study.

Vasopressor dependence is a common problem affecting patients in the recovery phase of critical illness, often necessitating intensive care unit (ICU) admission and other interventions which carry associated risks. Midodrine is an orally administered vasopressor which is commonly used off-label to expedite weaning from vasopressor infusions and facilitate discharge from ICU. We performed a single-centre, case-control study to assess whether midodrine accelerated liberation from vasopressor infusions in patients who were vasopressor dependent. Cases were identified at the discretion of treating intensivists and received 20 mg oral midodrine every eight h from enrolment. Controls received placebo. Data on duration and dose of vasopressor infusion, haemodynamics and adverse events were collected. Between 2012 and 2019, 42 controls and 19 cases were recruited. Cases had received vasopressor infusions for a median of 94 h versus 29.3 h for controls, indicating prolonged vasopressor dependence amongst cases. Midodrine use in cases was not associated with faster weaning of intravenous (IV) vasopressors (26 h versus 24 h for controls, P = 0.51), ICU or hospital length of stay after adjustment for confounders. Midodrine did not affect mean heart rate but was associated with bradycardia. This case-control study demonstrates that midodrine has limited efficacy in expediting weaning from vasopressor infusions in patients who have already received relatively prolonged courses of these infusions.

Muscle Growth and Anabolism in Intensive Care Survivors (GAINS) trial: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To explore the feasibility, safety, and potential benefits of administration of the anabolic steroid nandrolone to patients in the recovery phase from critical illness weakness. METHODS: In this phase II, double blind, randomized, controlled trial, adult critically ill patients admitted to one of two tertiary Intensive Care Units in Western Australia for longer than 7 days with significant weakness were enrolled. Patients received nandrolone (200 mg males, 100 mg females) intramuscularly or placebo weekly for up to 3 weeks in addition to standard care. The primary outcome measures were improvement in grip strength, Medical Research Council muscle strength sum score, and functional activity level (Chelsea critical care assessment tool [CPAx]). RESULTS: A total of 22 patients was enrolled between September 2017 and May 2019. No significant adverse events were detected. Median grip strength change was non-significantly greater in the nandrolone group (8.5 vs. 13.0, P=0.185), while hospital length of stay (36 vs. 26 days, P=0.023) and duration of mechanical ventilation (377 vs. 168, P=0.032) were lower. The discharge CPAx and intensive care unit mobility scores were higher in the nandrolone group, although there was no difference in the change in CPAx score (17.0 vs. 17.7, P=0.865). There were no changes in ultrasound-detected muscle thickness between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with prolonged critical illness, nandrolone appears to be safe. However, a larger study, potentially combined with resistance exercise, is needed to definitively address the potential benefits of nandrolone.

The influence of febuxostat on coronary artery endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease: A phase 4 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: The xanthine oxidase (XO) system is a significant source of vascular oxidative stress, which is believed to impair endothelial function, an important contributor to atherosclerotic disease. We tested whether febuxostat, a potent XO inhibitor, improves coronary endothelial function (CEF) in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) in a single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial. METHODS: CEF was measured using noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of changes in 30 patients with stable CAD and baseline impaired CEF. Patients received either febuxostat or placebo for 6 weeks and then were crossed over to the alternative for an additional 6 weeks. MRI-detected changes in coronary flow and in coronary cross-sectional area from rest to isometric handgrip exercise, a known endothelial-dependent stressor, were measured at the end of each 6 week period. RESULTS: Mean serum urate levels were lower at the end of the 6-week febuxostat period (2.9±0.8mg/dL) than at the end of the 6-week placebo period (5.9±0.04, P<.001). However, there were no significant differences in any of the CEF parameters measured at the end of the febuxostat and placebo periods. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, although XO inhibition with febuxostat was well tolerated and lowered serum urate, it did not improve the primary end point of the study, CEF measured using MRI after 6 weeks of treatment. In conclusion, these findings suggest that short-term inhibition of XO does not significantly improve impaired CEF in patients with stable CAD.

Effect of Febuxostat on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Subjects With Hyperuricemia and Hypertension: A Phase 2 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia is associated with hypertension, with elevated serum uric acid levels postulated to have a causal role in the development of hypertension. Consequently, serum uric acid reduction may help lower blood pressure (BP). A Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the potential BP-lowering effects of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat in subjects with hypertension and hyperuricemia (serum uric acid ≥0.42 mmol/L [≥7.0 mg/dL]). METHODS AND RESULTS: Subjects (n=121) were randomized 1:1 to febuxostat 80 mg once daily or to placebo. The primary end point was change from baseline to Week 6 in 24-hour mean ambulatory systolic BP (SBP). Additional end points included the following: change from baseline to Week 3 in 24-hour mean SBP and changes from baseline to Weeks 3 and 6 in 24-hour mean ambulatory diastolic BP, serum uric acid, mean daytime and nighttime ambulatory SBP/diastolic BP, and clinic SBP/diastolic BP. For the overall study population, there were no significant differences between febuxostat and placebo for changes from baseline to Weeks 3 or 6 in ambulatory, daytime or nighttime, or clinic SBP or diastolic BP. However, in a preplanned subgroup analysis, there was a significant decrease in SBP from baseline to Week 6 in subjects with normal renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90 mL/min) treated with febuxostat versus placebo; least squares mean difference, -6.7; 95% confidence interval -13.3 to -0.0; P=0.049. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that febuxostat may lower BP in hyperuricemic patients with hypertension and normal renal function; further studies should be conducted to confirm this finding. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01496469.

A controlled, double-blind, multicenter study comparing clarithromycin extended-release tablets and levofloxacin tablets in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Macrolides and fluoroquinolones are frequently used for the empiric treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the safety profile and efficacy of clarithromycin extended-release (ER) tablets with those of levofloxacin tablets for the treatment of CAP in ambulatory adult patients. METHODS: In a Phase III, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, multicenter study, ambulatory adult patients (> or = 18 years) with signs and symptoms of CAP received a 7-day course of treatment with either clarithromycin ER (two 500-mg tablets once daily) or levofloxacin (two 250-mg tablets once daily). A diagnosis of CAP was confirmed by radiography of the chest and physical examination, and sputum samples were analyzed to identify etiologic pathogen(s). Tolerability was assessed through subjective reports of adverse events and through changes in physical findings, concomitant medications, and laboratory values. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups in terms of sex, age, race, or body weight. The mean age was 50 years (range, 18-91 years). Of 299 patients randomized and treated, 252 were clinically evaluable (128 clarithromycin ER, 124 levofloxacin). The 95% CI for the difference between cure rates demonstrated equivalence of the 2 treatments. Among clinically evaluable patients at the test-of-cure visit, clinical cure rates were 88% (113/128) and 86% (107/124), and radiographic success rates were 95% (117/123) and 88% (104/118) for clarithromycin ER and levofloxacin, respectively. Both treatment regimens were effective in resolving and improving clinical signs and symptoms of CAP. Among clinically and bacteriologically evaluable pa- tients, bacteriologic cure rates were 86% (80/93) and 88% (85/97) for clarithromycin ER and levofloxacin, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between the 2 treatment groups in the overall incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Clarithromycin ER demonstrated equivalent efficacy and tolerability to the fluoroquinolone levofloxacin in a group of ambulatory adult patients with CAP. Clarithromycin ER also appeared to be safe in the population studied.