Clinical and preclinical evidence that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers prevent diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Given possible involvement of the central and peripheral angiotensin system in pain processing, we conducted clinical and preclinical studies to test whether pharmacological inhibition of the angiotensin system would prevent diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) accompanying type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the preclinical study, the nociceptive sensitivity was determined in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice, a T2DM model. A clinical retrospective cohort study was conducted, using the medical records of T2DM patients receiving antihypertensives at three hospitals for nearly a decade. In the ob/ob mice, daily treatment with perindopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), or telmisartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), but not amlodipine, an L-type calcium channel blocker (CaB), significantly inhibited DPN development without affecting the hyperglycemia. In the clinical study, the enrolled 7464 patients were divided into three groups receiving ACEIs, ARBs and the others (non-ACEI, non-ARB antihypertensives). Bonferroni's test indicated significantly later DPN development in the ARB and ACEI groups than the others group. The multivariate Cox proportional analysis detected significant negative association of the prescription of ACEIs or ARBs and ß-blockers, but not CaBs or diuretics, with DPN development. Thus, our study suggests that pharmacological inhibition of the angiotensin system is beneficial to prevent DPN accompanying T2DM.

[A Case of Thrombocytopenia Following Minocycline Administration].

Drug-induced thrombocytopenia is associated with bleeding tendency and suggests the need for the immediate suspected drug withdrawal. Patients with drug-induced thrombocytopenia usually experience an acute drop in platelet (PLT) levels a week or two after starting a new medication. Thrombocytopenia has both immune and non-immune mechanisms. Minocycline (MINO)-induced thrombocytopenia is rare; thus, there are few studies of this condition. In the present study, intravenous administration of MINO led to thrombocytopenia. The female patient was 80 years old. She was receiving radiation therapy for tongue cancer and medication for pain control. She had fever and aspiration pneumonia and was being treated with an antibacterial drug. Empiric therapy consisting of intravenous administration of tazobactam/piperacillin was performed; however, inflammation and fever did not improve. The bacterial drug was changed to vancomycin and cefmetazole. Sputum culture was positive for Enterobacter cloacae thus, we changed her treatment to MINO. Seven days after starting MINO, PLT levels were low; however, they recovered when treatment was stopped. Our findings suggest that MINO may rarely cause severe thrombocytopenia; thus, it is necessary to observe the patient's blood collection.

[Comparison of a safety evaluation between paclitaxel injection NK and Taxol®].

Paclitaxel injection NK(NK)is a generic product containing the same amount of ingredients as a Taxol®Injection. We examined the safety of NK in clinical practice compared to the original drug. Our results suggested that for the cancer patient, most safety profiles between NK and the original drug are similar. However, patients who received Taxol®Injection had significantly more grade 2 neuropathy compared to those who received NK(p<0. 01).