Mitapivat versus Placebo for Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Pyruvate kinase deficiency is a rare, hereditary, chronic condition that is associated with hemolytic anemia. In a phase 2 study, mitapivat, an oral, first-in-class activator of erythrocyte pyruvate kinase, increased the hemoglobin level in patients with pyruvate kinase deficiency. METHODS: In this global, phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of mitapivat in adults with pyruvate kinase deficiency who were not receiving regular red-cell transfusions. The patients were assigned to receive either mitapivat (5 mg twice daily, with potential escalation to 20 or 50 mg twice daily) or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary end point was a hemoglobin response (an increase from baseline of ≥1.5 g per deciliter in the hemoglobin level) that was sustained at two or more scheduled assessments at weeks 16, 20, and 24. Secondary efficacy end points were the average change from baseline in the hemoglobin level, markers of hemolysis and hematopoiesis, and the change from baseline at week 24 in two pyruvate kinase deficiency-specific patient-reported outcome measures. RESULTS: Sixteen of the 40 patients (40%) in the mitapivat group had a hemoglobin response, as compared with none of the 40 patients in the placebo group (adjusted difference, 39.3 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 24.1 to 54.6; two-sided P<0.001). Patients who received mitapivat had a greater response than those who received placebo with respect to each secondary end point, including the average change from baseline in the hemoglobin level. The most common adverse events were nausea (in 7 patients [18%] in the mitapivat group and 9 patients [23%] in the placebo group) and headache (in 6 patients [15%] and 13 patients [33%], respectively). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 10 patients (25%) who received mitapivat and 5 patients (13%) who received placebo. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with pyruvate kinase deficiency, mitapivat significantly increased the hemoglobin level, decreased hemolysis, and improved patient-reported outcomes. No new safety signals were identified in the patients who received mitapivat. (Funded by Agios Pharmaceuticals; ACTIVATE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03548220.).

Anemias hemolíticas autoinmunes: estudio retrospectivo de 93 pacientes / Autoimmune haemolytic anaemias: A retrospective study of 93 patients

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las anemias hemolíticas autoinmunes (AHAI) son enfermedades poco frecuentes y heterogéneas en su fisiopatología y comportamiento clínico, siendo el manejo de las mismas fundamentalmente empírico. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Realizamos un estudio observacional, retrospectivo y multicéntrico de 93 pacientes diagnosticados de AHAI en 9 hospitales españoles entre 1987 y 2017, con una mediana de seguimiento de 28 meses. RESULTADOS: Mediana de edad de 67 años; un 85% de AHAI por anticuerpos calientes y un 64% AHAI primarias. Los valores de hemoglobina más bajos al diagnóstico se relacionaron con edad<45 años y el tipo serológico IgG+C. Un 92% recibieron tratamiento de primera línea, un 54% de segunda línea y un 27% de tercera línea. Las AHAI calientes fueron tratadas en primera línea con esteroides, con respuestas globales del 83% y completas del 58%. El rituximab en monoterapia o asociado a esteroides se administró a 34 pacientes con respuestas globales cercanas al 100% (respuestas completas 40-60%), relegando la esplenectomía a tercera línea. El tratamiento inmunosupresor se administró en pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes o en dependientes de corticoides. DISCUSIÓN: Encontramos altas tasas de respuesta a esteroides, con tratamientos muy prolongados que provocan efectos secundarios y corticodependencia en un tercio de los pacientes. La asociación de esteroides con rituximab en primera línea podría estar indicada en pacientes con bajos niveles de hemoglobina y tipo serológico IgG+C. Las altas tasas de recaída hacen necesario el desarrollo de estudios aleatorizados con nuevos fármacos o la asociación con los ya existentes, que permitan mayor duración de las respuestas y con menores efectos secundarios

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is an infrequent and heterogeneous disease in its pathophysiology and clinical behaviour, therefore it is generally managed empirically. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, retrospective and multicentre study of 93 patients diagnosed with AHAI in 9 Spanish hospitals between 1987 and 2017, with a median follow-up of 28 months. RESULTS: Median age of 67 years; 85% AHAI for hot antibodies and 64% primary AHAI. The lowest haemoglobin values at diagnosis related to patients under 45 years of age and serological type IgG+C. Of the patients, 92% received first line treatment, 54% second line, and 27% third line. The warm AHAI were treated in first line with steroids, with overall responses of 83% and complete of 58%. Rituximab in monotherapy or in association with steroids was administered to 34 patients with overall responses close to 100% (complete responses 40-60%), relegating splenectomy to the third line. The immunosuppressive treatment was administered in patients with autoimmune diseases or in corticoid-dependent patients. DISCUSSION: We found high rates of response to steroids, with very prolonged treatments that cause side effects and corticoid dependence in a third of patients. The combination of steroids with rituximab in the first line, could be indicated in patients with low levels of haemoglobin and serological type IgG+C. The high relapse rates make necessary the development of randomised studies with new drugs or the combination with existing ones, which allow longer response times and with fewer side effects

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemias: A retrospective study of 93 patients. / Anemias hemolíticas autoinmunes: estudio retrospectivo de 93 pacientes.

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is an infrequent and heterogeneous disease in its pathophysiology and clinical behaviour, therefore it is generally managed empirically. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, retrospective and multicentre study of 93 patients diagnosed with AHAI in 9 Spanish hospitals between 1987 and 2017, with a median follow-up of 28 months. RESULTS: Median age of 67 years; 85% AHAI for hot antibodies and 64% primary AHAI. The lowest haemoglobin values at diagnosis related to patients under 45 years of age and serological type IgG+C. Of the patients, 92% received first line treatment, 54% second line, and 27% third line. The warm AHAI were treated in first line with steroids, with overall responses of 83% and complete of 58%. Rituximab in monotherapy or in association with steroids was administered to 34 patients with overall responses close to 100% (complete responses 40-60%), relegating splenectomy to the third line. The immunosuppressive treatment was administered in patients with autoimmune diseases or in corticoid-dependent patients. DISCUSSION: We found high rates of response to steroids, with very prolonged treatments that cause side effects and corticoid dependence in a third of patients. The combination of steroids with rituximab in the first line, could be indicated in patients with low levels of haemoglobin and serological type IgG+C. The high relapse rates make necessary the development of randomised studies with new drugs or the combination with existing ones, which allow longer response times and with fewer side effects.

Clinical and genetic features of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA).

INTRODUCTION: Congenital dyserythropoietic anemias (CDA) are characterized by hyporegenerative anemia with inadequate reticulocyte values, ineffective erythropoiesis, and hemolysis. Distinctive morphology of bone marrow erythroblasts and identification of causative genes allow classification into 4 types caused by variants in CDAN1, c15orf41, SEC23B, KIF23, and KLF1 genes. OBJECTIVE: Identify pathogenic variants in CDA patients. METHODS: Massive parallel sequencing with a targeted gene panel, Sanger sequencing, Comparative Genome Hybridization (CGH), and in silico predictive analysis of pathogenicity. RESULTS: Pathogenic variants were found in 21 of 53 patients studied from 44 unrelated families. Six variants were found in CDAN1: two reported, p.Arg714Trp and p.Arg725Trp and, four novel, p.Arg623Trp, p.Arg946Trp, p.Phe1125Ser and p.Ser1227Gly. Twelve variants were found in SEC23B: seven reported, p.Arg14Trp, p.Glu109Lys, p.Arg217Ter, c.835-2A>G, p.Arg535Ter, p.Arg550Ter and p.Arg718Ter and, five novel, p.Val164Leu, p.Arg190Gln, p.Gln521Ter, p.Arg546Trp, and p.Arg611Gln. The variant p.Glu325Lys in KLF1 was found in one patient and p.Tyr365Cys in ALAS2 in an other. Moreover, we identified genomic rearrangements by CGH in some SEC23B-monoallelic patients. CONCLUSIONS: New technologies for genetic studies will help to find variants in other genes, in addition to those known, that contribute to or modulate the CDA phenotype or support the correct diagnosis.

Sideroblastic anemia: functional study of two novel missense mutations in ALAS2.

BACKGROUND: X-linked sideroblastic anemia (XLSA) is a disorder characterized by decreased heme synthesis and mitochondrial iron overload with ringed sideroblasts in bone marrow. XLSA is caused by mutations in the erythroid-specific gene coding 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS2). Anemia in XLSA is extremely variable, characteristically microcytic and hypochromic with poikilocytosis, and the red blood cell distribution width is increased and prominent dimorphism of the red cell population. Anemia in XLSA patients responds variably to supplementation with pyridoxine. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report four patients with XLSA and three mutations in ALAS2: c.611G>A (p.Arg204Gln), c.1218G>T (p.Leu406Phe) and c.1499A>G (p.Tyr500Cys). The in silico predictions of three ALAS2 mutations and the functional consequences of two ALAS2 mutations were assessed. We performed in silico analysis of these mutations using ten different softwares, and all of them predicted that the p.Tyr500Cys mutation was deleterious. The in vitro prokaryotic expression showed that the p.Leu406Phe and p.Tyr500Cys mutations reduced the ALAS2 specific activity (SA) to 14% and 7% of the control value, respectively. CONCLUSION: In view of the results obtained in this study, a clear relationship between genotype and phenotype cannot be established; clinical variability or severity of anemia may be influenced by allelic variants in other genes or transcription factors and environmental conditions.