Second-line immunosuppressant administration for steroid-refractory immune-related adverse events in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for use of second-line immunosuppressants for immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is inadequate. Therefore, a multicenter analysis should assess the efficacy of second-line immunosuppressants for severe irAEs associated with different malignant diseases. METHODS: This descriptive study aims to investigate the effects of second-line immunosuppressants on corticosteroid-refractory irAEs in patients with lung cancer. We analyzed the effects of second-line immunosuppressants on underlying lung cancer and associated adverse effects. RESULTS: Our study included 4589 patients who had received immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment, with 73 patients (1.6%) developing irAEs requiring second-line immunosuppressants. The most commonly observed irAE was pneumonitis (26 patients), followed by hepatobiliary disorders (15 patients) and enteritis (14 patients). We found a confirmed response rate of 42.3% for pneumonitis, which was lower than the response rates of 86.7% for hepatobiliary disorders and 92.9% for enteritis. The time from the start of corticosteroid therapy to the addition of a second-line immunosuppressant correlated significantly with the resolution of irAE to Grade 1 (correlation coefficients of r = 0.701, p < 0.005). The median progression-free survival and duration of response of underlying lung cancer from second-line immunosuppressant administration were 2.1 and 3.0 months, respectively. Of the patients with irAE, 27.4% developed infections and 5.5% might die due to infection. CONCLUSION: Second-line immunosuppressant response was confirmed in 72.2% of irAEs in patients with lung cancer, with lower response rates observed in irAE pneumonitis compared to other irAEs.

Curcumae rhizoma and its major constituents against hepatobiliary disease: Pharmacotherapeutic properties and potential clinical applications.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary disease currently serves as an urgent health issue in public due to health-modulating factors such as extension of life expectancy, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and over-nutrition. A definite treatment remains lacking owing to different stages of the disease itself and its intricate pathogenesis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been gradually popularized in clinic with the satisfactory efficacy and good safety. Curcumae Rhizoma (called E Zhu, EZ in Chinese) is a representative herb, which has been used to treat hepatobiliary disease for thousands of years. PURPOSE: To systematically summarize the recent research advances on the pharmacological activities of EZ and its constituents, explain the underlying mechanisms of preventing and treating hepatobiliary diseases, and assess the shortcomings of existing work. Besides, ethnopharmacology, phytochemicals, and toxicology of EZ have been researched. METHODS: The information about EZ was collected from various sources including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, ACS, SCOPUS, CNKI, CSTJ, and WANFANG using keywords given below and terms like pharmacological and phytochemical details of this plant. RESULTS: The chemical constituents isolated and identified from EZ, such as terpenoids including ß-elemene, furanodiene, germacrone, etc. and curcuminoids including curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, etc. prove to have hepatoprotective effect, anti-liver fibrotic effect, anti-fatty liver effect, anti-liver neoplastic effect, and cholagogic effect through TGF-ß1/Smad, JNK1/2-ROS, NF-κB and other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant signaling pathways. Also, EZ is often combined with other Chinese herbs in the treatment of hepatobiliary diseases with good clinical efficacy and no obvious adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: It provides a preclinical basis for the efficacy of EZ as an effective therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. Even so, the further studies still needed to alleviate hepatotoxicity and expand clinical application.

Mechanism of hepatobiliary toxicity of the LPA1 antagonist BMS-986020 developed to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Contrasts with BMS-986234 and BMS-986278.

In a Phase 2 clinical trial, BMS-986020, a lysophosphatidic acid receptor-1 (LPA1) antagonist, produced hepatobiliary toxicity (increased ALT, AST, and ALP; cholecystitis) and increases in plasma bile acids (BA). Nonclinical investigations conducted to identify a potential mechanism(s) for this toxicity examined BMS-986020 and two LPA1 antagonists structurally distinct from BMS-986020 (BMS-986234 and BMS-986278). BMS-986020 inhibited hepatic BA efflux transporters BSEP (IC50 1.8 µM), MRP3 (IC50 22 µM), and MRP4 (IC50 6.2 µM) and inhibited BA canalicular efflux in human hepatocytes (68% at 10 µM). BMS-986020 inhibited mitochondrial function (basal and maximal respiration, ATP production, and spare capacity) in human hepatocytes and cholangiocytes at ≥10 µM and inhibited phospholipid efflux in human hepatocytes (MDR3 IC50 7.5 µM). A quantitative systems toxicology analysis (DILIsym®), considering pharmacokinetics, BA homeostasis, mitochondrial function, oxidative phosphorylation, and reactive intermediates performed for BMS-986020 recapitulated clinical findings ascribing the effects to BA transporter and mitochondrial electron transport chain inhibition. BMS-986234 and BMS-986278 minimally inhibited hepatic BA transporters (IC50 ≥20 µM) and did not inhibit MDR3 activity (IC50 >100 µM), nor did BMS-986234 inhibit BA efflux (≤50 µM) or mitochondrial function (≤30 µM) (BMS-986278 not evaluated). Multiple mechanisms may be involved in the clinical toxicity observed with BMS-986020. The data indicate that this toxicity was unrelated to LPA1 antagonism since the mechanisms that likely influenced the adverse clinical outcome of BMS-986020 were not observed with equipotent LPA1 antagonists BMS-986234 and BMS-986278. This conclusion is consistent with the lack of hepatobiliary toxicity in nonclinical and clinical safety studies with BMS-986278.

Structure dependence and species sensitivity of in vivo hepatobiliary toxicity with lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPA1) antagonists.

BMS-986020, BMS-986234 and BMS-986278, are three lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPA1) antagonists that were or are being investigated for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Hepatobiliary toxicity (elevated serum AST, ALT, and ALP, plasma bile acids [BAs], and cholecystitis) was observed in a Phase 2 clinical trial with BMS-986020, and development was discontinued. In dogs and rats, the species used for the pivotal toxicology studies, there was no evidence of hepatobiliary toxicity in the dog while findings in the rat were limited to increased plasma BAs levels (6.1× control), ALT (2.9×) and bilirubin (3.4×) with no histopathologic correlates. Since neither rats nor dogs predicted clinical toxicity, follow-up studies in cynomolgus monkeys revealed hepatobiliary toxicity that included increased ALT (2.0× control) and GLDH (4.9×), bile duct hyperplasia, cholangitis, cholestasis, and cholecystitis at clinically relevant BMS-986020 exposures with no changes in plasma or liver BAs. This confirmed monkey as a relevant species for identifying hepatobiliary toxicity with BMS-986020. In order to assess whether the toxicity was compound-specific or related to LPA1 antagonism, two structurally distinct LPA1 antagonists (BMS-986234 and BMS-986278), were evaluated in rat and monkey. There were no clinical or anatomic pathology changes indicative of hepatobiliary toxicity. Mixed effects on plasma BAs in both rat and monkey has made this biomarker not a useful predictor of the hepatobiliary toxicity. In conclusion, the nonclinical data indicate the hepatobiliary toxicity observed clinically and in monkeys administered BMS-986020 is compound specific and not mediated via antagonism of LPA1.

Histopathology of Gastrointestinal Immune-related Adverse Events: A Practical Review for the Practicing Pathologist.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors target checkpoint proteins with the goal of reinvigorating the host immune system and thus restoring antitumor response. With the dramatic increase in the use of checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment, surgical pathologists have assumed a major role in predicting the therapeutic efficacy (score based on programmed cell death ligand 1 immunohistochemistry and mismatch repair protein loss) as well as diagnosing the complications associated with these medications. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) manifest as histologic changes seen in both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, and when viewed in isolation, may be morphologically indistinguishable from a wide range of diseases including infections, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease, among others. Evaluation of biopsies from both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract can aid in the distinction of gastrointestinal irAEs from their mimics. In the liver, the histologic changes of hepatic irAEs overlap with de novo diseases associated with hepatitic and cholangitic patterns of injury. The diagnosis of irAEs requires communication and collaboration from the pathologist, oncologist, and gastroenterologist. This review provides a background framework and illustrates the histologic features and differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal and hepatic irAEs.

The Correlation Between UGT1A1 Gene Phenotypes and the Clinical Prognosis of Advanced Colorectal Cancer After FOLFIRI Therapy.

Objective: This study investigated the correlations between the different phenotypes of the uridine diphosphate glucuronyl transferase (UGT) 1A1 gene and the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer after the FOLFIRI regimen. Materials and Methods: A total of 240 advanced colorectal cancer patients with stage IV colon cancer or recurrence after radical surgery between January 2014 and December 2018 were included in a retrospective study. All participants were treated with the FOLFIRI regimen until the disease progressed or an intolerable level of toxicity occurred. Results: In this study, three phenotypes of the UGT1A1 gene promoter were found: the homozygous wild type (TA6/6 type, 78.3%), the heterozygous mutant type (TA6/7 type, 19.6%), and the homozygous mutant type (TA7/7 type, 2.1%). Compared with TA6/7 and TA6/6, the risk of nonresponse to FOLFIRI chemotherapy increased by 16%, but the difference was not significant. The risk of death increased by 24%, and there was no significant difference. There was a risk of hematologic and nonhematologic adverse reactions occurring in TA6/7 and TA6/6, and the total risk of adverse reactions increased by 9.3773 times among patients with more than two metastatic organs. Compared with patients with TA6/6, the risk of toxic side-effects increased by 42.8066 times (p = 0.0259) for patients with TA6/7. Among patients who received FOLFIRI chemotherapy for more than four cycles, the proportion with TA6/7 was greater than that with TA6/6. Compared with those with TA6/6, patients with TA6/7 showed a higher risk of hematologic toxicity (22.3246 times, p = 0.0035). Conclusion: The TA6/7 in patients with advanced colorectal cancer had more than two metastatic organs, and received FOLFIRI chemotherapy for more than four cycles compared with TA6/6 patients. Furthermore, the risk of hematologic and nonhematologic adverse reactions significantly increased, and the risk of digestive-tract and hematologic toxicity was more significant.

Pembrolizumab-induced large duct cholangiopathy: Diagnosis and follow.up imaging.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitor mediated hepatobiliary injury is an emerging concern in cancer treatment. Most of these adverse reactions are attributed to nivolumab and are characterized by panlobular hepatitis. Large duct cholangiopathy related to these drugs is extremely rare. We present a case of adenocarcinoma of lung treated with pembrolizumab who developed biochemical and imaging features consistent with cholangiopathy characterized by common bile duct dilatation, wall enhancement, and gallbladder wall edema. On follow-up in the fourth month, the imaging features persisted despite the normalization of liver enzymes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of diagnosis and follow-up imaging of pembrolizumab-related cholangiopathy in imaging literature.

Fast Identification of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) of Digestive and Nervous Systems of Organic Drugs by In Silico Models.

This study aimed to discover concurrences of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and derive models of the most frequent items of ADRs based on the SIDER database, which included 1430 marketed drugs and 5868 ADRs. First, common ADRs of organic drugs were manually reclassified according to side effects in the human system and followed by an association rule analysis, which found ADRs of digestive and nervous systems often occurred at the same time with a good association rule. Then, three algorithms, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machine (SVM) and deep learning, were used to derive models of ADRs of digestive and nervous systems based on 497 organic monomer drugs and to identify key structural features in defining these ADRs. The statistical results indicated that these kinds of QSAR models were good tools for screening ADRs of digestive and nervous systems, which gave the ROC AUC values of 81.5%, 98.9%, 91.5%, 69.5%, 78.4% and 78.8%, respectively. Then, these models were applied to investigate ADRs of 1536 organic compounds with four phase and zero rule-of-five (RO5) violations from the ChEMBL database. Based on the consensus ADRs' predictions of models, 58.1% and 42.6% of compounds were predicted to cause these two ADRs, respectively, indicating the significance of initial assessment of ADRs in early drug discovery.

Toxicity profile of taxanes in Tunisian cancer patients: A retrospective study of 90 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Taxanes are widely used in medical oncology. The aim of our study was to report and analyze the toxicity features of these drugs in Tunisian patients and to determine their impact on treatment response. METHODS: Our retrospective study concerned 90 patients treated by taxanes in a medical oncology unit, from January 2014 to January 2017. We collected their epidemiologic and anatomo-clinical data and we detailed toxicity features including types grades and impact on tumor response. RESULTS: Median age was 46 years. 80% of patients had breast cancer. Tumors were metastatic in 23.3% of cases. Nail toxicity was observed in 100% of patients. Grade I-II digestive toxicity was observed in 54.4% of cases. Hematological toxicity was noted in 42.2% of patients and it reached grade III-IV in five patients. Neurological toxicity occurred in 31% of patients and was grade III-IV in 6 cases. Alopecia was observed in 60% of patients. Fatigue was noted in 57.8% of patients. Myalgia was observed in 42.2% of patients. Toxicity did not affect the response to treatment. CONCLUSION: The taxanes' toxicity profile in Tunisian patients is characterized by more frequent digestive and nail toxicities and less frequent hematological toxicities, dose reduction and treatment delays than other populations.

Valganciclovir prophylaxis for cytomegalovirus infection in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: There are two approaches for treating cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection occurring after kidney transplantation (KTx). One is preemptive therapy in which treatment is started after confirming positive CMV antigenemia using periodic antigenemia assay. The other approach is prophylactic therapy in which oral valganciclovir (VGCV) is started within 10 days after KTx and continued for 200 days. The Transplantation Society guidelines recommend prophylactic therapy for high-risk (donor's CMV-IgG antibody positive and recipient's negative) pediatric recipients. However, the adequate dose and side effects of VGCV are not clear in children, and there is no sufficient information about prophylaxis for Japanese pediatric recipients. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted on case series of high-risk pediatric patients who underwent KTx and received oral VGCV prophylaxis at the Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, between August 2018 and March 2019. Data were collected using medical records. RESULTS: The dose of administration was 450 mg in all the study patients (n = 5). Reduction or discontinuation was required in four of five patients due to adverse events, which included neutropenia in one patient, anemia in two patients, and neutropenia and digestive symptoms in one patient. Late-onset CMV disease occurred in all patients. No seroconversion was observed during prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary study suggests that the dosage endorsed by The Transplantation Society may be an overdose for Japanese pediatric recipients. Further studies are required to examine the safety and efficacy of VGCV prophylaxis in Japanese pediatric recipients.

Abdominal immune-related adverse events: detection on ultrasonography, CT, MRI and 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies are associated with a unique spectrum of complications termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The abdomen is the most frequent site of severe irAEs that require hospitalization with life-threatening consequences. Most abdominal irAEs such as enterocolitis, hepatitis, cholangiopathy, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, adrenalitis, and sarcoid-like reaction are initially detected on imaging such as ultrasonography (US), CT, MRI and fusion 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-CT during routine surveillance of cancer therapy. Early recognition and diagnosis of irAEs and immediate management with cessation of immune modulator cancer therapy and institution of immunosuppressive therapy are necessary to avert morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of irAEs is confirmed by tissue sampling or by follow-up imaging demonstrating resolution. Abdominal radiologists reviewing imaging on patients being treated with anti-cancer immunomodulators should be familiar with the imaging manifestations of irAEs.

Pathologic Manifestations of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Injury in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.

CONTEXT.­: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors and the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, are being increasingly used for treating many advanced malignancies. However, CPI therapy is also associated with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary adverse effects. OBJECTIVES.­: To review the adverse effects of CPI therapy on the gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary system. To describe histopathologic patterns and discuss differential diagnostic considerations in the diagnosis of CPI injuries. DATA SOURCES.­: Published peer-reviewed literature in the English language and personal experience in the diagnosis of CPI injuries. CONCLUSIONS.­: The pathologic manifestations of CPI therapy-induced gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary injury are broad. The patterns of esophageal CPI injury include lymphocytic inflammation and ulcerative esophagitis, while those of gastric injury include chronic active gastritis, lymphocytic gastritis, focal enhancing gastritis, and periglandular inflammation. The duodenal injury may present as duodenitis with villous blunting and granulomas. We also noticed active colitis, microscopic colitis, chronic active colitis, increased apoptosis, ischemic colitis, and nonspecific inflammatory reactive changes in colonic injuries. The reported histologic features of hepatobiliary injuries are panlobular hepatitis, centrilobular necrosis, portal inflammation with bile duct injury, steatosis, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, and secondary sclerosing cholangitis. In summary, we discuss the pathologic features and differential diagnosis of CPI therapy-induced gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary injury. Recognition of CPI injury is important to determine the proper management that often includes cessation of CPI therapy, and administration of steroids or other immunosuppressive agents, based on severity of injury.

Capsaicin Functions as Drosophila Ovipositional Repellent and Causes Intestinal Dysplasia.

Plants generate a plethora of secondary compounds (toxins) that potently influence the breadth of the breeding niches of animals, including Drosophila. Capsaicin is an alkaloid irritant from hot chili peppers, and can act as a deterrent to affect animal behaviors, such as egg laying choice. However, the mechanism underlying this ovipositional avoidance remains unknown. Here, we report that Drosophila females exhibit a robust ovipositional aversion to capsaicin. First, we found that females were robustly repelled from laying eggs on capsaicin-containing sites. Second, genetic manipulations show that the ovipositional aversion to capsaicin is mediated by activation of nociceptive neurons expressing the painless gene. Finally, we found that capsaicin compromised the health and lifespan of flies through intestinal dysplasia and oxidative innate immunity. Overall, our study suggests that egg-laying sensation converts capsaicin into an aversive behavior for female Drosophila, mirroring an adaptation to facilitate the survival and fitness of both parents and offspring.

Health status among greenhouse workers exposed to different levels of pesticides: A genetic matching analysis.

(1) Objective: Greenhouse workers are considered a special occupational group who are exposed to more toxic and harmful substances than ordinary farmers. The health problem of this group is a public health problem that warrants attention. Taking greenhouse workers in Ningxia, China, as the research sample, this study analyzed the health risk to practitioners posed by the greenhouse working environment. (2) Method: To analyze the relationship between pesticide exposure and the health of greenhouse workers, the genetic matching method was used to exclude the influence of covariates on the results. (3) Results: The results showed a statistical significance regarding the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), skeletal muscle system diseases (SMSD) and digestive diseases between the different exposure groups. Researching the disease symptoms found that different levels of exposure to pesticides in greenhouses could cause multisystem and multisymptom discomfort. In addition to some irritant symptoms such as eye itching, itching, and sneezing, there were also differences in terms of the frequency of discomfort such as back pain, a decline in sleep quality, memory loss, joint pain, swelling and weakness, upper abdominal pain and flatulence, in the different exposure groups. (4) Conclusion: Different levels of exposure to pesticides in greenhouses may be one of the risk factors for practitioners to suffer from various systemic diseases, affecting their health and work efficiency. This hazard is manifested not only in some acute irritant symptoms but also in chronic diseases due to long-term exposure.

Safety of ceftriaxone in paediatrics: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety of ceftriaxone in paediatric patients and systematically evaluate the categories and incidences of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of ceftriaxone in paediatric patients. METHODS: We performed a systematic search in Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and bibliographies of relevant articles up to December 2018 for all types of studies that assessed the safety of ceftriaxone in paediatric patients aged ≤18 years. RESULTS: 112 studies met the inclusion criteria involving 5717 paediatric patients who received ceftriaxone and reported 1136 ADRs. The most frequent ADRs reported in prospective studies were gastrointestinal (GI) disorders (37.4 %, 292/780), followed by hepatobiliary disorders (24.6%, 192/780). Serious ADRs leading to withdrawal or discontinuation of ceftriaxone were reported in 86 paediatric patients. Immune haemolytic anaemia (34.9%, 30/86) and biliary pseudolithiasis (26.7%, 23/86) were the two major causes. Haemolytic anaemia following intravenous ceftriaxone led to death in 11 children whose primary disease was sickle cell disease. Almost all biliary pseudolithiasis are reversible. However, the incidence was high affecting one in five paediatric patients (20.7%). CONCLUSIONS: GI ADRs are the most common toxicity of ceftriaxone in paediatric patients. Immune haemolytic anaemia and biliary pseudolithiasis are the most serious ADRs and the major reasons for discontinuation of ceftriaxone. Immune haemolytic anaemia is more likely in children with sickle cell disease and may cause death. Ceftriaxone should be used with caution in children with sickle cell disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42017055428.

Immune-related adverse reactions in the hepatobiliary system: second-generation check-point inhibitors highlight diverse histological changes.

AIMS: Immune check-point inhibitors are known to cause immune-mediated adverse liver injury, but our knowledge is mainly based on cases treated with ipilimumab or nivolumab. METHODS AND RESULTS: Clinicopathological features of 10 patients with hepatobiliary adverse reactions caused by second-generation drugs, pembrolizumab (n = 6) and atezolizumab (n = 4), were reviewed. Liver dysfunction developed during a median period of 3.5 weeks after administration of the check-point inhibitor (3 days-1 year). Antinuclear antibodies were detected in two patients at a low titre (1/80), and serum IgG concentrations were also only mildly elevated in two patients. Liver biopsies showed panlobular hepatitis (n = 5), cholangiopathic changes (n = 2), granulomatous injury (n = 2) and bland cholestasis (n = 1). Two cases of cholangiopathy (both pembrolizumab-treated) showed diffuse sclerosing cholangitis on imaging, and one also presented lymphocytic cholangitis resembling primary biliary cholangitis on biopsy. In two atezolizumab-treated cases, Küpffer cells were hyperplastic and aggregated, forming microgranulomas. Confluent necrosis and eosinophilic or plasma cell infiltration were rare. On immunostaining, the ratio of CD8+ /CD4+ cells was 12.2 ± 5.1, which was significantly higher than that in autoimmune hepatitis (2.7 ± 1.1; P < 0.001) or idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (5.0 ± 1.1; P = 0.014). All patients responded to steroid therapy, but it was less effective in patients with sclerosing cholangitis. CONCLUSIONS: Pembrolizumab and atezolizumab manifested not only lobular hepatitis but also sclerosing cholangitis, lymphocytic duct injury and granulomatous hepatitis, probably representing various impaired cellular functions in CD8+ lymphocytes and macrophages due to blockage of PD-1-PD-L1 interaction.

The Safety Profile of Vedolizumab in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease: 4 Years of Global Post-marketing Data.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Vedolizumab is a gut-selective antibody to α 4  ß 7 integrin, approved to treat moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in adults. Clinical trial data on patients meeting protocol-specified criteria may not reflect real-world clinical practice. This is a descriptive analysis of 4 years of post-marketing safety data on vedolizumab. METHODS: The Vedolizumab Global Safety Database contains all adverse event reports collated by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd since vedolizumab approval [May 20, 2014]. Adverse event reports received between approval and May 19, 2018 were identified using Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities version 21.0 Preferred Terms. Adverse event frequencies were calculated and categorised. RESULTS: In approximately 208 050 patient-years of vedolizumab exposure, 32 752 patients reported 80 218 events. In patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, 37 662 and 34 259 events occurred in 14 191 and 14 042 patients, respectively, and 8297 events occurred in 4519 individuals with other [off-label] or unreported indications. Overall, 5230 [14%; Crohn's disease] and 3580 [10%; ulcerative colitis] events were serious. Most frequently reported were gastrointestinal events (Crohn's disease, 6156 [16%]; ulcerative colitis, 5701 [17%]). Patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis reported 251 malignancies [<1%], 402 hepatobiliary events [<1%], and 5876 infections (1137 serious [19%], 301 opportunistic [5%]). Patients aged ≥70 years [2326 patients] reported <10% of events. CONCLUSIONS: Adverse event patterns were consistent with clinical trials, with no new safety concerns. Most reported events were non-serious and event frequency was low, considering patient-years of exposure. Although limitations of post-marketing safety reports require acknowledgement, these real-world data support a favourable safety profile of vedolizumab.

Safety of Hyaluronan 35 in Healthy Human Subjects: A Pilot Study.

Background. Hyaluronan (HA) is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan polymer produced in all vertebrates, and usually present at the high molecular weight (>106 Da). Low molecular weight HA has signaling properties, and fragments ~35 kDa size (HA35) have biological activity in eliciting epithelial ß-defensins and tight junction proteins, notably ZO1, important components of innate host defense arsenal of the gut barrier in preclinical models. Safety, tolerability, impact on metabolism, gut permeability, and microbiome composition in healthy human subjects were all evaluated prospectively. Methods. Pharmaceutical grade HA35 (140 mg in water once daily for seven days), was administered orally to 20 healthy subjects (30.7 ± 5.6 years). Demographical, clinical, biochemical laboratory tests, metabolic function and stool microbiome composition were measured on Day 0, 8 and 28. Results. HA35 was tolerated well in all subjects with no serious adverse events in any subjects. No statistical differences in any of the measurements were seen among the study group over the course of the trial. In aggregate there were no changes in demographical, clinical, biochemical laboratory tests, and metabolic function or microbiome composition during the 28-day study. Conclusion. Oral HA35 administration (140 mg/day) is a safe treatment in healthy individuals and does not affect metabolic, inflammatory or microbiome parameters.

[What is the REAL long-term risk of proton pump inhibitors?] / Quel est le VRAI risque au long cours des inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons ?

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most prescribed drugs in the world. While their efficacy in acute management is indisputable, it has long been suggested that PPI therapy is safe in the long term. In recent years, there has been growing and justified concern about the long-term risks of PPIs. The majority of reported side effects are based on observational studies with a low level of evidence. Concerning digestive risks, PPIs seem to increase the risk of Salmonella and Campylobacter infections. However, the link between PPIs and Clostridium difficile infection is not established. Long-term PPIs may be responsible for an increased risk of gastric cancer according to several recent studies. With regard to extra-digestive risks, PPIs are associated with a moderate increase in the risk of chronic renal failure via an interstitial nephritis mechanism. PPIs also provide martial deficiency and may be associated with vitamin B12 and magnesium deficiency in some patients. Other adverse reactions have been suggested without any causal relationship being established (i.e., dementia or bone fractures, cardiovascular risk). In this review we will discuss the different long-term adverse effects of PPIs and their level of evidence.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer with seminal vesicle involvement (T3b): A multicentric retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES: No study has reported clinical results of external-beam radiotherapy specifically for T3b prostate cancer. The possibility of escalating the dose to the involved seminal vesicles (ISV) while respecting the dose constraints in the organs at risk is thus so far not clearly demonstrated. The objective of the study was to analyze the dose distribution and the clinical outcome in a large series of patients who received IMRT for T3b prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis included all patients who received IMRT and androgen deprivation therapy for T3b prostate cancer, between 2008 and 2017, in six French institutions, with available MRI images and dosimetric data. RESULTS: A total of 276 T3b patients were included. The median follow-up was 26 months. The median (range) prescribed doses (Gy) to the prostate and to the ISV were 77 (70-80) and 76 (46-80), respectively. The dose constraint recommendations were exceeded in less than 12% of patients for the rectum and the bladder. The 5-year risks of biochemical and clinical recurrences and cancer-specific death were 24.8%, 21.7%, and 10.3%, respectively. The 5-year risks of local, pelvic lymph node, and metastatic recurrences were 6.4%, 11.3%, and 15%, respectively. The number of involved lymph nodes (≤ 2 or ≥ 3) on MRI was the only significant prognostic factor in clinical recurrence (HR 9.86) and death (HR 2.78). Grade ≥ 2 acute and 5-year late toxicity rates were 13.2% and 12% for digestive toxicity, and 34% and 31.5% for urinary toxicity, respectively. The dose to the pelvic lymph node and the age were predictive of late digestive toxicity. CONCLUSION: IMRT for T3b prostate cancer allows delivery of a curative dose in the ISV, with a moderate digestive toxicity but a higher urinary toxicity. Lymph node involvement increases the risk of recurrence and death.