Drug-induced kidney injury: A large case series from the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study
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OBJECTIVES: Drug-induced kidney injury (DIKI) may affect patients regardless of their baseline kidney function. Therefore, this study evaluated DIKI in patients with or without previous chronic kidney disease (CKD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Potential DIKI cases were ascertained using the network of the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study in all 51 Berlin hospitals from April 2010 until December 2011. Via face-to-face interviews and medical chart reviews, information on all previous drug intake, comorbidities, and demographics was gathered. Included were adult patients with a new diagnosis of acute kidney injury or an acute-on-chronic kidney injury, and with an at least "possible" drug etiology based on the standardized causality assessment of the World Health Organization. Excluded were patients with prerenal or postrenal etiology, bacterial interstitial nephritis, or previous renal transplantation. RESULTS: Overall, 143 patients with DIKI were included in the study (mean age 68.4 ± 15.6 years). Of those, 77 (54%) had prediagnosed CKD. The most common symptom at onset was anuria/oliguria, while 73 patients (51%) underwent renal replacement therapy, and 11 patients (8%) died. Cardiovascular drugs, such as furosemide, torasemide, hydrochlorothiazide, and ramipril (33%), systemic anti-infectives, such as vancomycin (23%), and musculoskeletal drugs, such as ibuprofen and diclofenac (15%), were most commonly causal for DIKI. Of the 37 patients with DIKI caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), 20 (54%) had prediagnosed CKD. CONCLUSION: Nephrotoxicity can be caused by numerous medications, highlighting the importance of increased vigilance among physicians. Moreover, NSAIDs seem to exhibit nephrotoxic properties even in patients with normal baseline kidney function.
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Immobilization and high platelet count are associated with thromboembolic complications in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

PURPOSE: Immune-mediated heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT type II, HIT) is a potentially serious adverse drug reaction characterized by an increased risk of venous and arterial thrombosis. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with the development of these complications. METHODS: Our study cohort included patients with HIT assembled in our pharmacovigilance center by reports from 51 collaborating hospitals in Berlin, Germany. To identify risk factors for thromboembolic complications, patients with thromboembolic events (cases) were compared to those without thromboembolic events (controls) in a case-control design. We applied univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for potential risk factors of thromboembolic complications. RESULTS: Our cohort comprised 209 HIT patients. Of those, 53 developed thromboembolic complications. Most HIT patients received heparin for medical indications (42.1%) or in the context of cardiovascular surgery (40.2%). Of the 78 thromboembolic complications, 49 (63%) and 29 (37%) were observed in the venous and arterial vascular bed, respectively. The main locations were deep vein thrombosis (39.7%), pulmonary embolism (16.7%), and limb artery thrombosis (16.7%). In multivariable analysis, immobilization prior to HIT (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.2-18.0; P = .026) and higher platelet counts before initiation of heparin therapy (OR 1.004, 95% CI 1.000-1.008; P = .046) were independently associated with the occurrence of thromboembolic events. CONCLUSIONS: Immobilization and a high platelet count (with a low effect size) are additional risk factors of thromboembolic complications in the course of HIT.

Herb-Induced Liver Injury in the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study.

Herb-induced liver injury (HILI) has recently attracted attention due to increasing reports of hepatotoxicity associated with use of phytotherapeutics. Here, we present data on HILI from the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study. The study was initiated in 2000 to investigate the serious toxicity of drugs including herbal medicines. Potential cases of liver injury were ascertained in more than 180 Departments of all 51 Berlin hospitals from October 2002 to December 2011. Drug or herb intake was assessed through a standardized face-to-face interview. Drug or herbal aetiology was assessed based on the updated Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences scale. In ten of all 198 cases of hepatotoxicity included in the study, herbal aetiology was assessed as probable (once ayurvedic herb) or possible (Valeriana five times, Mentha piperita once, Pelargonium sidoides once, Hypericum perforatum once, Eucalyptus globulus once). Mean age was 56.4 ± 9.7 years, and the predominant pattern of liver injury was hepatocellular. No cases of acute liver failure or death were observed. This case series corroborates known risks for ayurvedic herbs, supports the suspected association between Valeriana use and liver injury, and indicates a hepatotoxic potential for herbs such as Pelargonium sidoides, Hypericum perforatum or Mentha piperita that were rarely associated with liver injury before. However, given that possible causality does not prove clinical significance, further studies in this field are needed.

Metamizole (dipyrone)-associated agranulocytosis. An analysis of German spontaneous reports 1990-2012.

PURPOSE: In 1986, the risk of agranulocytosis prompted German authorities to restrict the indications for metamizole use. After an initial decline, prescriptions increased from <20 million defined daily doses in 1990 to >140 million in 2012. Concurrently, spontaneous reports of agranulocytosis increased from about 10 in 1990 to >50 in 2012. In this study, reports were analyzed to identify targets for risk minimization measures. METHODS: Reports of suspected metamizole-induced agranulocytosis (neutrophils < 0.5 × 10(9) cells/l) between 1990 and 2012 were identified in the German spontaneous reporting database. Cases for which original reporting documents were available were eligible for analysis. Patient characteristics, indication, clinical course, and outcome were assessed. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-one reports were analyzed. The mean age of the patients was 56.8 years (11-93) and 64.6 % were female. Off-label use was identified in about 25 % of cases. Neutrophils fell below 100/µl in 63 and intercurrent infections developed in 109 cases. Thirty-eight patients (23.6 %) died. In two thirds of the cases, agranulocytosis occurred within 6 weeks of permanent or intermittent metamizole treatment, in 30.5 % within 7 days, including 18 cases of immediate onset after the first or second administration. CONCLUSION: The reported cases show severe clinical courses and are, to some extent, a result of off-label use. Due to the absence of individual risk factors and presence of variable onset patterns, risk minimization measures should focus on restricting use to defined clinical situations and providing concise risk information for patients and healthcare professionals.

Torsade de pointes tachycardia in a patient on dronedarone therapy.

Dronedarone is a promising, relatively new antiarrhythmic agent characterized by structural similarities to amiodarone but without amiodarone's severe organ toxicity. The proarrhythmic potential of dronedarone, however, is of increasing concern. We describe a 76-year-old woman who had been receiving dronedarone 400 mg twice/day to prevent recurrent atrial tachycardia with rapid ventricular response. Several months later, she came to the emergency department with decompensated congestive heart failure and episodes of atrial tachycardia; digoxin 0.5 mg and furosemide 40 mg were administered intravenously. Thereafter nonsustained torsade de pointes (TdP) tachycardia occurred. She was transferred to the intensive care unit where a dose of amiodarone 150 mg was administered intravenously by mistake. Thereafter, the patient showed sustained TdP necessitating cardiac resuscitation. Dronedarone was discontinued, and digoxin and amiodarone were not administered again. Under dronedarone a relevant QT prolongation was documented that was additionally augmented after concomitant treatment with digoxin and amiodarone. Use of the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale indicated a probable adverse drug reaction to dronedarone (score of 7). To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a patient who experienced TdP tachycardias while receiving dronedarone therapy in connection with a worsening of heart failure and possible drug interactions with digoxin and amiodarone. Clinicians should be aware of this potential adverse drug reaction and perform repeated heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval measurements as well as screening for congestive heart failure in patients receiving dronedarone therapy.

Metamizole-induced agranulocytosis revisited: results from the prospective Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study.

PURPOSE: Treatment with metamizole (dipyrone) has steadily increased in Germany over the last decade. The consequences of this increase for metamizole-induced agranulocytosis (MIA) are unclear. The present study addressed this topic using data from the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study. METHODS: Adult patients (≥18 years of age) with acute nonchemotherapy-induced agranulocytosis were identified by active surveillance in all 51 Berlin hospitals between 2000 and 2010. Cases related to metamizole were ascertained applying the drug causality criteria of the World Health Organization. The incidence rate of MIA was calculated and standardised by age and sex based on the German standard population in 2010. RESULTS: Twenty-six MIA cases out of 88 (30 %) patients with validated agranulocytosis were ascertained. The incidence of MIA was 0.96 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.95-0.97) cases per million per year. The median age of MIA cases was 50 years (quartile (Q)1 31 years; Q3 68 years) and 19 (73 %) of them were women. In 17 (65 %) cases, neutrophil granulocytes dropped below the value of 0.1 × 10(9) cells/L with three patients suffering from sepsis. Headache and postoperative pain were the most frequent indications for metamizole in outpatients (n = 16) and inpatients (n = 10), respectively. The median treatment duration was 6 days (Q1 4 days; Q3 19 days). CONCLUSIONS: MIA persists as a severe condition in current pharmacotherapy. The continuous increase of metamizole applications should be critically assessed, especially in regard to indications in the outpatient setting and with respect to metamizole treatment duration.

Drug-induced liver injury: results from the hospital-based Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study.

AIM: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is often responsible for acute liver failure, drug withdrawal, boxed warnings or drug non-approval. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study to determine the hepatotoxic risk of a wide range of drugs. METHODS: The Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study FAKOS included all 51 Berlin hospitals in a hospital network. Between 2002 and 2011, 198 patients with acute idiopathic hepatitis, 377 inpatient controls and 708 outpatient controls were ascertained. Case patients were thoroughly validated using anamnestic, clinical, laboratory and histological data. Drug exposure was obtained in a face-to-face interview. A possible drug aetiology was assessed in individual patients by applying the updated Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) scale. Drug risks were further quantified [odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI)] in a case-control design with unconditional logistic regression analysis. Drug intake in the last 28 days before index date was considered for the analysis. RESULTS: The study corroborated hepatotoxic risks for a number of drugs, including phenprocoumon (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.5, 6.7), amiodarone (OR 5.5, 95% CI 1.3, 21.2), clozapine (OR 34.6, 95% CI 2.8, 824.9) and flupirtine (OR 40.2, 95% CI 5.5, 856.9). Increased risks were also suggested for less commonly reported substances such as angiotensin II receptor blockers, atypical antipsychotics and for biperiden, a drug never before reported to be hepatotoxic. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified a large number of drugs as possible causes of hepatotoxicity. The observed risk for seldom reported substances highlights the need for further post-authorization safety studies not exclusively focusing on drugs already labelled as potentially hepatotoxic.

Flupirtine-induced liver injury--seven cases from the Berlin Case-control Surveillance Study and review of the German spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting database.

PURPOSE: The hepatotoxic potential of the analgesic flupirtine has attracted increased attention over the past years. Recently, risk minimisation measures such as maximum treatment duration of 2 weeks have been requested by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This study was conducted to further elucidate the clinical pattern of flupirtine-induced liver injury (FILI). METHODS: Seven FILI patients were ascertained in all Berlin hospitals in the Berlin Case-control Surveillance Study (FAKOS) between 2002 and 2011. Furthermore, we reviewed the severe cases of flupirtine-associated hepatotoxicity included in the adverse drug reaction database of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) in Germany from between 1991 and 2012. RESULTS: All seven FILI patients of FAKOS were hospitalised. Six of them were female, mean age was 58 [corrected] years, and the most common symptoms were fatigue and jaundice. Three patients developed acute liver failure (ALF). Discontinuation of flupirtine invariably led to clinical and laboratory improvement. Review of the BfArM cases (n = 248) showed female sex predominance and high prevalence of jaundice and ALF. Time to onset of symptoms was less than 2 weeks in 9 % of the patients with respective data. CONCLUSIONS: Our results corroborate previous findings on FILI's clinical pattern and on its potentially severe course. Although the hepatotoxic risk might be higher after the first 2 weeks of treatment, earlier onset of severe FILI cannot be ruled out. Postauthorisation safety studies are needed to evaluate EMA's risk minimisation measures and to quantify flupirtine's risk according to its duration of use.

Drug-induced agranulocytosis in the Berlin case-control surveillance study.

PURPOSE: Drug-induced agranulocytosis (DIAG) is a rare but serious adverse drug reaction. The Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study (FAKOS) aimed to identify pharmaceuticals with an increased risk for this condition. METHODS: Adult patients with acute non-chemotherapy-induced agranulocytosis, developed in hospital or in the outpatient setting, were ascertained by active surveillance in all 51 Berlin hospitals between the years 2000 and 2010. Applying the criteria of the World Health Organization, a standardized drug causality assessment was conducted for each agranulocytosis patient to determine possible drug aetiology. Drug risks were quantified in a case-control design with unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-three out of 88 validated cases of agranulocytosis were identified as being at least probably drug-related. Drug causality assessment resulted in 36 pharmaceuticals with a certain or probable relationship to agranulocytosis. Drugs involved in ≥ 3 cases with a probable or certain causality were metamizole (dipyrone) (N = 10), clozapine (N = 6), sulfasalazine (N = 5), thiamazole (N = 5), and carbamazepine (N = 3). In case-control analysis, six drugs were identified with significant odds ratios for DIAG. The highest odds ratios were observed for clozapine, sulfasalazine, and thiamazole. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are generally in agreement with those of earlier case-control studies. The spectrum of drugs causing acute agranulocytosis has not changed considerably over recent years, despite many newly marketed drugs. Evidence for induction of agranulocytosis by some new pharmaceuticals is supported.

Epidemiology of symptomatic drug-induced long QT syndrome and Torsade de Pointes in Germany.

AIMS: Drug-induced long QT syndrome (diLQTS) leading to Torsade de Pointes (TdP) is a potentially lethal condition, which has led to several post-marketing drug withdrawals in the past decade. The true incidence of diLQTS/TdP is largely unknown. One explanation is under-reporting of this potentially life-threatening adverse event by physicians and other medical staff to pharmacovigilance agencies. To gain more insight into the incidence of diLQTS and TdP, the Berlin Pharmacovigilance Center (PVZ-FAKOS) has actively and prospectively identified patients who developed this particular type of drug-induced adverse event. Here, the basic characteristics of the affected patients are summarized and suspected drugs are discussed. Furthermore, an extrapolation of the Berlin incidence rates to the German Standard Population is presented. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a Berlin-wide network of 51 collaborating hospitals (>180 clinical departments), adult patients presenting with long QT syndrome (LQTS/TdP) between 2008 and 2011 were identified by active surveillance of these hospitals. Drug exposures as well as other possible risk factors were obtained from the patient's files and in a face-to-face interview with the patient. One-hundred and seventy patients of possible LQTS/TdP were reported to the Pharmacovigilance Center of whom 58 cases were confirmed in a thorough validation process. The majority (66%) of these cases were female and 60% had developed LQTS/TdP in the outpatient setting. Thirty-five (60%) of 58 confirmed cases were assessed as drug-related based on a standardized causality assessment applying the criteria of the World Health Organization. Drugs assessed as related in more than two cases were metoclopramide, amiodarone, melperone, citalopram, and levomethadone. The age-standardized incidence of diLQTS/TdP in Berlin was estimated to be 2.5 per million per year for males and 4.0 per million per year for females. CONCLUSION: While European annual reporting rates based on spontaneous reports suggest an annual diLQTS/TdP incidence of 0.26 per million in Germany, we estimated a considerably higher incidence of diLQTS/TdP in an active surveillance approach. Further measures are warranted to better sensitize physicians against this potentially life-threatening drug-induced adverse event.

Ramipril-induced liver injury: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Ramipril, an inhibitor of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACEI), is a drug commonly used in the therapy of hypertension. ACEI-induced hepatotoxicity is rare, and most of the reported cases are associated with captopril. Here, we present the first case of ramipril-induced liver injury proven by positive rechallenge and a review of the literature including the data from the US Food and Drug Administration adverse event reporting system (FAERS). METHODS: Patient data were collected in the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study for adverse drug reactions. PubMed research on ACEI-induced hepatotoxicity included all ACEIs except captopril; analysis of the FAERS database focused on ramipril-induced hepatotoxicity in the period 2009-2011. RESULTS: A 40-year-old male patient presented with acute onset jaundice and highly (>20-fold increase of alanine aminotranferase (ALT)) elevated liver enzymes (LEs). Viral or autoimmune hepatitis and biliary etiology were ruled out. Withdrawal of several medications including ramipril resulted in an immediate decrease in LEs, whereas a subsequent re-exposure with ramipril resulted in a striking increase in LEs (>35-fold increase of ALT). After definitely discontinuing ramipril, a rapid decline in LEs was observed, suggesting a certain causal relationship between drug intake and hepatic damage. Analysis of the FAERS database retrieved 65 cases of ramipril-associated hepatotoxicity, with jaundice being the most frequent hepatic adverse event. PubMed research detected 23 relevant publications, with enalapril being the ACEI most commonly reported as being associated with liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: ACEI-induced hepatotoxicity is rare. Our case confirms a hepatotoxic potential of ramipril, highlighting the need for alertness among physicians regarding this matter.

Severe sustained cholestatic hepatitis following temozolomide in a patient with glioblastoma multiforme: case study and review of data from the FDA adverse event reporting system.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor in adults. Its established first-line adjuvant treatment is radiotherapy in combination with temozolomide (TZM). Hematotoxicity is listed as a frequent adverse drug reaction in the US prescribing information and hepatotoxicity has been reported infrequently in the postmarketing period. We here present the case of a patient diagnosed with GBM who developed severe sustained cholestatic hepatitis following treatment with TZM. The cholestasis was not reversible after withdrawal of TZM during 6 months before the patient's death. Another 2 published case reports of sustained cholestasis following TZM treatment were identified; however, the sustained nature of cholestasis was not emphasized in these reports. Sixteen cases of cholestatic hepatitis/cholestasis associated with TZM were identified in the FDA spontaneous reporting system between 2007 and 2010. Information on the course of the cholestasis in these cases could not be retrieved. In the literature there are other published reports of hepatotoxicity associated with TZM that have reported reversibility upon withdrawal of the drug. Thus, TZM appears to cause different types of hepatotoxicity. Particular attention should be paid to sustained cholestasis as a very serious type of TZM-associated liver toxicity.

Drug-induced immune thrombocytopaenia: results from the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study.

PURPOSE: Drug-induced immune thrombocytopaenia is a rare, serious condition that can be triggered by numerous medications. To characterize the spectrum of drugs associated with immune thrombocytopaenia (ITP) in the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study (FAKOS). METHODS: Adult hospitalized patients with new onset idiopathic, secondary or drug-induced acute ITP and hospital control patients were ascertained by active surveillance in 50 Berlin hospitals (>180 clinical departments) between 2000 and 2009. Drug exposures were obtained in a personal interview. Chronic cases were excluded in a follow-up after 6 or more months. A standardized causality assessment was conducted for each ITP patient to assess possible drug aetiology. Drug risks were quantified in a case-control design with unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Ninety out of 169 validated cases of acute ITP were assessed as being at least possibly drug-related (n= 85 different drugs overall, n = 30 drugs with certain or probable causality). Drugs involved in ≥ 2 cases with a probable or certain relationship were tirofiban (n = 10 cases), abciximab (n = 4), trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (n = 4), influenza vaccine (n = 3), and citalopram (n = 2). Pneumococcal and poliomyelitis vaccine were assessed as probably causing ITP in one case each. In the case-control analyses, significantly increased risks were observed for tirofiban, abciximab, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole, gentamicin, triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide, drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, and influenza vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms known ITP risks for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists and sulphonamides and generates signals for several other drugs and vaccines. New onset of ITP should not only direct attention to drugs as possible aetiological agents, but also to vaccines that are known to cause autoimmune phenomena.

Drug induced immune haemolytic anaemia in the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study.

Drug-induced immune haemolytic anaemia is a rare but serious condition. This study investigated the possibility of drug aetiology of immune haemolytic anaemia (IHA) in 134 patients with new onset of IHA who were identified in the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study between 2000 and 2009. Single drugs related to IHA in three or more patients and assessed more than once as a certain or probable cause of IHA in a standardized causality assessment included diclofenac, fludarabine, oxaliplatin, ceftriaxone and piperacillin. In a case-control study including all 124 IHA cases developed in outpatient care and 731 controls, significantly increased odds ratios (OR) were observed for beta-lactam antibiotics (OR=8·8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3·2-25·2), cotrimoxazole (OR=6·5; CI 1·1-37·9), ciprofloxacin (OR=6·9, CI 1·3-38·5), fludarabine (OR=22·2; CI: 2·8-454·5) and lorazepam (OR=5·3; CI: 1·2-21·2). Excluding new onset cases with a chronic IHA disease course, an increased risk became also apparent for diclofenac with an OR of 3·1 (CI 1·3-7·0). This is the first case-control study investigating drugs as risk factors for IHA. It corroborates an increased risk for several drugs that have been implicated as a cause of IHA in the standardized causality assessment of individual cases.

Citalopram-induced bleeding due to severe thrombocytopenia.

BACKGROUND: In case reports and observational studies, serotonin reuptake-inhibitors (SSRIs) have been linked to an increased risk of bleeding, possibly due to platelet dysfunction as a consequence of serotonin-uptake blockade into platelets. OBJECTIVE: The authors propose that bleeding as a result of SSRI use may also be caused by other mechanisms. METHOD: Here, the authors report on a 32-year-old woman with hemorrhages resulting from severe drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia after 4 weeks of citalopram therapy. RESULTS: After withdrawal of citalopram and treatment with platelet concentrates and prednisolone, the patient recovered completely. CONCLUSION: As this case report shows, drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia may present another possible mechanism for bleeding in SSRI-treated patients.

Proportion of drug-related serious rare blood dyscrasias: estimates from the Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study.

Drugs are an important cause of serious rare blood dyscrasias. To estimate the proportion of drug-related cases, we used data from the ongoing Berlin Case-Control Surveillance Study. The analysis included a total of 171 cases. The number of cases in which a drug etiology was assessed as at least "possible" was n = 29 (97%) for acute agranulocytosis, n = 4 (0.21%) for aplastic anemia, n = 8 (26%) for immune hemolytic anemia, n = 20 (25%) for immune thrombocytopenia, and n = 2 (20%) for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome. Our analysis suggests that a substantial fraction of blood dyscrasias may be attributable to drug therapy.