P1535Clinical impact of carotid plaque score rather than carotid intima-media thickness on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Background

Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) assessed by ultrasound has been widely accepted as a surrogate marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, carotid plaque score (cPS) reflecting throughout the carotid artery plaque burden may be better marker.

Methods

We retrospectively examined 2,035 patients who underwent carotid ultrasonography between January 2006 and December 2015 at our University Hospital. Median follow-up period was 4 years. We used Cox models that adjusted for established risk factors of ASCVD, including age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and serum lipids to assess the association of cIMT as well as cPS with major adverse cardiac events (MACE). MACE was defined as all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for a cardiovascular-related illness

Results

During follow-up, 243 participants experienced MACE. After adjustment for established risk factors, cPS was associated with MACE (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.38 for top quintile vs. bottom quintile of cPS; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.82 to 6.27; P-trend = 1.4×10–8), while cIMT was not (HR = 0.88, P=0.57). Addition of the cPS to established risk factors significantly improved risk discrimination (C-index 0.726 vs. 0.746; P=0.017)

Conclusion

As a marker, cPS, rather than cIMT can identify 20% of individuals who are at more than three-fold increased risk for MACE. Targeting diagnostic or therapeutic interventions to this subset may prove clinically useful.

Development of canine X-chromosome inactivation pattern analysis for the detection of cell clonality by incorporating the examination of the SLIT and NTRK-like family member 4 (SLITRK4) gene

X-chromosome inactivation pattern (XCIP) analysis can be used to assess the clonality of cell populations of various origin by distinguishing the methylated X chromosome from the unmethylated X chromosome. In this study, the utility of XCIP analysis was improved by incorporating the examination of AC dinucleotide repeats in SLIT and NTRK-like family member 4 (SLITRK4) gene into the previously reported CAG repeat examination of androgen receptor (AR) gene in dogs. The rate of heterozygosity when both genes were analysed (125/150, 83.3%) was higher than AR gene examination alone (86/150, 57.3%). Blood samples from heterozygous dogs in either AC-1 or AC-2 of SLITRK4 gene were examined for the corrected inactivation allele ratio (CIAR), resulting in the determination of a reference range of CIAR <3.8 in non-neoplastic cell/tissue samples. Using this analytical method, 49% (21/43) of neoplastic tissue samples from dogs showed a CIAR >3.8, indicating the presence of a clonal population. Through the present study, the availability of canine XCIP analysis was improved by incorporating the examination of the SLITRK4 gene, providing a highly useful laboratory examination system for the detection of the clonality of various cell/tissue samples in dogs.

Clinical time course of pediatric acute disseminated encephalomyelitis

The detailed clinical time course in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) from initial symptoms, through exacerbation, to remission has not been widely reported. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the clinical time course of pediatric ADEM. This was a multicenter retrospective study based on registry data from medical chart reviews. The study included children who met the international consensus diagnostic criteria for ADEM. The patients comprised 18 boys and 6 girls, with a mean age of 5.5 ± 3.3 years at onset. From onset, the time until peak neurological symptoms, time until initial improvement, and time until full recovery was 3.1 ± 3.7 days, 6.0 ± 4.5 days, and 26 ± 34 days, respectively. Twenty-three (96%) patients were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone (mPSL) with a mean duration of 4.1 ± 4.0 days from onset. The condition of 15 patients (65%) improved within 3 days of high-dose mPSL initiation, whereas, that of four patients began to improve after >5 days of high-dose mPSL initiation. Only one patient (4%) did not achieve full recovery despite treatment with high-dose mPSL, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange. This study presents the detailed clinical time course in pediatric ADEM in Japan. Progression of neurologic deficits typically lasts a few days, with initial improvement in 1 week leading to full recovery within 1 month.

Multicentre, open label, randomised controlled trial comparing intermittent versus daily treatment for non-cavitary nodular/bronchiectatic Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease with rifampicin, ethambutol and clarithromycin (iREC): study protocol

Introduction

Standard treatment for nodular/bronchiectatic Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (NB MAC-LD), excluding severe-status cases, differs between Japan and other countries. Internationally, three-drug combination intermittent treatment (three times a week administration) with macrolide, ethambutol and rifampicin is recommended, but a daily treatment regimen is recommended in Japan. To date, no randomised controlled study directly comparing intermittent treatment with daily treatment has been performed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of intermittent treatment.

Methods and analysis

A total of 140 patients diagnosed with NB MAC-LD in Japan will be randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to intermittent treatment group or daily treatment group, and three-drug combination therapy with clarithromycin, rifampicin and ethambutol will be continued for 1 year. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients requiring modification of the initial treatment regimen. Secondary endpoints are adverse events, sputum culture conversion, time to sputum culture conversion, improvement of chest CT findings, change in health-related quality of life score and development of clarithromycin resistance.

Ethics and dissemination

This trial was approved by the National Hospital Organisation Review Board for Clinical Trials (Headquarters). The results of this study will be reported at a society meeting or published in a peer-review journal.

The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and PD-L1 status in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring oncogenic driver alterations: Immuno-oncology biomarker study in LC-SCRUM-Japan

9046

Background: The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and PD-L1 status in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring oncogenic alterations has not been fully investigated. We initiated this immuno-oncology biomarker study as part of nationwide genomic screening by LC-SCRUM-Japan (LC-SCRUM-IBIS). Methods: Lung cancer patients enrolled in LC-SCRUM-IBIS underwent targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) with Oncomine Comprehensive Assay, PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays and further whole-exome sequencing (WES) to determine tumor mutation burden. According to subtype of oncogenic alterations, the efficacy of ICI and PD-L1 status were analyzed. Results: Between Feb 2017 and May 2018, 1017 lung cancer patients were enrolled. Of these, 832 NSCLC patients had adequate tumor samples and were included in this analysis. Targeted NGS showed that major oncogenic alterations included 157 EGFR, 83 KRAS, 33 MET, 30 HER2, 25 FGFR, 22 PIK3CA, 19 ALK, 15 ROS1, 10 RET, 5 BRAF and 13 others. High expression of PD-L1 ( > 50% of tumor cells by 22C3) were observed in RET (70%), MET (67%), ROS1 (53%), KRAS (41%) and BRAF (40%) positive tumors. One-hundred five patients were evaluable for the efficacy of ICI, including 80 non-squamous and 25 squamous histology. Among them, 104 were treated with PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy and only 1 in combination therapy of ICI. Median treatment line was 2 (range, 1-9). The response rate was 19% (20/105) and median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.3 and 18.3 months. In 50 patients harboring at least one oncogenic alterations, the response rate, PFS and OS were 18% (9/50), 3.3 and 24.8 months. Among 9 responders to ICI, 3 had KRAS, 2 had MET and 1 each had ALK/EGFR/HER2/RET. Six (26%) of 23 patients with both high PD-L1 expression and at least one oncogenic alterations responded to ICI. Conclusions: PD-L1 status seemed to vary among patients with advanced NSCLC harboring oncogenic alterations. New biomarker for ICI therapy in this population should be moreover explored. Updated results on WES analysis will be presented at the meeting.

Phase II study of S-1 in patients (pts) with previously treated Invasive thymoma (IT) and thymic carcinoma (TC): North Japan Lung Cancer Study Group Trial 1203

8564

Background: Invasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma are rare epithelial neoplasms arise in the anterior mediastinum. Platinum-based chemotherapies are widely used for the first-line treatment for unresectable IT and TC. Although no standard treatment has been established for previously treated IT and TC, S-1 has demonstrated promising efficacy in some retrospective studies. Thus we conducted the first prospective multicenter phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy of S-1 for previously treated pts with advanced IT and TC. Methods: Eligible pts were aged 20 years or older with: advanced IT or TC not feasible to potentially curative treatments; disease progression after at least one regimen of platinum-based chemotherapy; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2; adequate organ function; written informed consent. Pts received S-1 orally, at a dose based on body surface area for 2 weeks in 3 weeks cycle until tumor progression or unacceptable toxicities. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) and secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity profile. Assuming that ORR of 25% in eligible pts would indicate potential usefulness while ORR of 10% would be the lower limit of interest, with alpha = 0.05 and beta = 0.2 according to a Simon’s two-stage design, the estimated accrual was 40 pts. Results: Between June 2012 and August 2018, 40 pts were enrolled and all pts were eligible (IT, n = 20; TC, n = 20). Median age was 64.5 years (range, 40-82), 75% (30/40) were male. Median treatment cycle was 5.5 (range, 1-82). ORR was 17.5% (95% CI: 7.3-32.8; IT, 10%, TC, 25%), and disease control rate was 85% (IT, 95%, TC, 75%). With a median follow-up of 51.9 months, median PFS was 7.0 months (IT, 11.3 months; TC, 5.4 months), and median OS was 40.3 months (IT, 58.5 months; TC, 22.7 months). The major grade 3-4 toxicities were anorexia (10%) and pneumonitis (5%). No treatment-related death was observed. Conclusions: Although the primary endpoint was unmet, S-1 monotherapy showed the moderate effects and could be available option especially for previously treated advanced TC. Clinical trial information: 000008174.

Randomized phase Ⅱ trial of uracil/tegafur and cisplatin versus pemetrexed and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy for locally advanced unresectable stage Ⅲ non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: NJLCG1001

8527

Background: It is unknown which regimen is the best in concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) of locally advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our previous randomized phase Ⅱ study, NJLCG0601, showed that chemoradiotherapy with uracil/tegafur (UFT) and cisplatin achieved promising efficacy with acceptable toxicities. In this trial, this regimen was compared to a regimen with pemetrexed and cisplatin for stage Ⅲ non-squamous NSCLC. Methods: Patients with inoperable stage Ⅲ non-squamous NSCLC were randomized to UFT 400 mg/m2 on days 1–14 and 29–42, and cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on days 8 and 36 (UP), or pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 and cisplatin 75 mg/m2 on days 1, 22, and 43 (PP). Involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) was administered from day 1 to a total dose of 66 Gy radiotherapy in 33 fractions. Consolidation chemotherapy after CCRT was not planned for this study. The primary endpoint was 2-year overall survival (OS), with expected rates of 55% and a lower limit of 35% (alfa 0.05, beta 0.2). Secondary endpoints were the objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), OS, and toxicity profile. Results: From November 2010 to June 2017, 86 patients were enrolled from 11 institutions. Of the 85 eligible patients, the rate of 2-year OS was 78.6% (95% CI: 62.8–88.3%) in the UP arm and 85.5% (95% CI: 70.5–93.2%) in the PP arm. The ORR was 76.7% in the UP arm and 81.0% in the PP arm. With a median follow-up of 54 months, median PFS and OS were 12.3 and 64.2 months in the UP arm, and 26.2 months and not reached in the PP arm, respectively. Grade 3/4 febrile neutropenia was more frequent in the UP arm than in the PP arm (14.0%, 2.0%, respectively). Grade 3/4 pneumonitis occurred in 7.0% and 4.8% of patients in UP and PP arms, respectively. Conclusions: Both regimens with IFRT achieved the expected 2-year survival rate. PP had more favorable results than UP in terms of OS and PFS. We selected the PP arm for the next step.

Therapeutic and prognostic impacts of specific gene alterations for squamous cell lung cancer: A result of nationwide genome screening in Japan (LC-SCRUM-Japan)

9060

Background: Various gene alterations occur during the development of squamous cell lung cancer (SqLC), but specific gene alterations for SqLC and their clinical significance remain unknown. Methods: In a nationwide genome screening project (LC-SCRUM-Japan), we have prospectively analyzed lung cancer patients for genetic alterations using a next-generation sequencing (NGS) system, Oncomine Comprehensive Assay, and have established a large-scale clinico-genomic database. Results: Since February 2013 to December 2018, a total of 6692 lung cancer patients (686 SqLCs, 5360 non-squamous non-small cell lung cancers [Non-sq] and 646 small cell lung cancers [SCLCs]) had been enrolled in the LC-SCRUM-Japan. The success rate of the NGS assay was 91%. Of 639 SqLCs analyzed, 274 (48%) had potentially targetable gene alterations, including 77 NFE2L2 (encoding NRF2) mut, 50 PIK3CA mut, 46 FGFR1 amp, 40 EGFRmut/amp, 36 PTEN mut, 23 KRAS mut, 6 AKT1 mut, 6 MET ex14skip, 5 ALK fusions, 2 FGFR3 fusions. Among the alterations detected, NFE2L2 mut and FGFR1 amp were significantly frequent in SqLC than Non-sq or SCLC (NFE2L2, 12.1% vs. 1.0% vs. 1.3%; p < 0.001, and FGFR1, 7.2% vs. 1.1% vs. 3.4%; p < 0.001). In advanced SqLC patients who received platinum-containing chemotherapies, the median progression-free survival (mPFS) was significantly shorter in NFE2L2-mutated patients (NRF2-type) than NFE2L2/FGFR1-negative patients (nonNF-type) (3.8 [95%CI, 2.9-5.1] vs. 4.5 [95%CI, 3.8-5.4] months, p = 0.03), and similarly, the mPFS of FGFR1-amplified patients (FGFR1-type) (3.5 months [95%CI, 1.5-4.9]) tended to be shorter than that of nonNF-type (p = 0.07), although the response rates were equivalent among the three types. NRF2-type also showed shorter overall survival (OS) than nonNF-type (median OS, 10.4 [95%CI, 6.9-22.3] vs. 16.6 [95%CI, 13.6-21.7] months, p = 0.10). Therapeutic efficacy of nivolumab or pembrolizumab was not different among these types in the current follow-up data. Conclusions: Our large scale genome screening identified specific gene alterations for SqLC and the alterations were associated with a less efficacy of chemotherapy and worse prognosis, suggesting the need for the development of genotype-directed therapeutic strategy for SqLC patients.

Overexpression of the HCN2 channel increases the arrhythmogenicity induced by hypokalemia

Hypokalemia, an abnormally low level of potassium (K⁺), is a electrolyte imbalance that commonly occurs in heart failure patients. Hypokalemia is well known to induce lethal ventricular arrhythmia. However, the effects of hypokalemia in failing hearts that have undergone electrophysiological remodeling, i.e., the reactivation of fetal-type ion channels, remain unexplored. We have examined the effect of hypokalemia in the myocytes of transgenic mice overexpressing the hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-sensitive (HCN) channel in the heart (HCN2-Tg mice). Perfusion with a mild hypokalemic solution containing 3 mM K⁺ induced ectopic ventricular automaticity in 55.0% of HCN2-Tg mouse myocytes. In the remaining HCN2-Tg mouse myocytes, the resting membrane potential (RMP) was more depolarized than that of wild-type myocytes subjected to the same treatment and could also be hyperpolarized by an HCN channel blocker. We conclude that in hypokalemia in our mice model, the HCN2 channel was constitutively activated at the hyperpolarized RMP, thereby destabilizing the electrophysiological activity of ventricular myocytes.

Partially Filled Flow Simulation Using Meshfree Method for High Viscosity Fluid in Plastic Mixer

A novel simulation technique for the flow in plastic mixers based on Element-free Galerkin Method (EFGM) has been developed in this study. To improve the simulation accuracy, a “rearrangement” scheme has been employed which eliminates errors caused by the irregular distribution of data points. Through several numerical tests, the new simulation technique has been validated to be applicable to high viscosity fluid flow with enough accuracy. Furthermore, simulation examples for realistic mixers were carried out using the developed technique. From the results, it was found that the developed technique is capable to investigate the relationship between flow behavior inside realistic mixers and operating conditions.

Lipid and thyroid hormone levels in children with epilepsy treated with levetiracetam or carbamazepine: A prospective observational study

Although previous studies have investigated the influence of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on lipid profiles and thyroid hormone levels, there is little evidence regarding the effects of levetiracetam (LEV). Therefore, we conducted a prospective longitudinal study to evaluate the effects of LEV and carbamazepine (CBZ) treatment on lipid profile and thyroid hormone levels in patients newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) age between 4 and 15 years, (b) diagnosis of epilepsy with at least two focal seizures within a year, and (c) newly treated with LEV or CBZ monotherapy. Serum lipid profile and thyroid hormone levels were measured before and after 1 and 6 months of AED initiation. Among the 21 included patients (LEV: 13 patients, CBZ: 8 patients), all but one patient in the LEV group continued AED monotherapy during the study period. Although triglyceride (TG) levels tended to be increased in the CBZ group (baseline: 58.3 ± 22.0 mg/dl, 1 month: 63.8 ± 21.6 mg/dl, 6 months: 92.3 ± 63.6 mg/dl, p = 0.22, analyses of variance (ANOVA)), there were no significant changes in total cholesterol (TC), TG levels, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in either group. Serum free thyroxine (fT4) levels were significantly decreased in the CBZ group (baseline: 1.15 ± 0.06 ng/dl, 1 month: 1.00 ± 0.16 ng/dl, 6 months: 0.98 ± 0.14 ng/dl, p = 0.03, ANOVA). In contrast, there were no significant changes in fT4 or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the LEV group. The results of the present study suggest that LEV monotherapy does not affect lipid profile or thyroid function while CBZ monotherapy may cause thyroid dysfunction.

Clinico-microbiological analysis of 121 patients with pulmonary Mycobacteroides abscessus complex disease in Japan - An NTM-JRC study with RIT

RATIONALE

No comprehensive analysis has previously been performed to evaluate the clinical aspects of and microbiological evidence associated with Mycobacteroides abscessus complex (MABC) infection in a region, such as Japan, with a low MABC incidence.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of MABC, which included clinical relatedness to erm(41) sequevar, phenotype (as colony morphology and minimum inhibitory concentration), and genotype.

METHODS

A total of 121 MABC patients (68 with M. abscessus subsp. abscessus and 53 with M. abscessus subsp. massiliense) were recruited into this retrospective clinical-biological study from tertiary hospitals in Japan between 2004 and 2014.

RESULTS

Approximately 30% of MABC patients had a history of previous nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) disease. Furthermore, 24.8% of the patients had another concomitant NTM infection after they were diagnosed with MABC. Fewer than 10% of the patients in the M. abscessus group had T28C in erm(41). While we observed a higher conversion rate for M. massiliense than for M. abscessus (72.4% and 34.8%, respectively, p = 0.002), recurrence remained relatively common for M. massiliense (31.0%). In the M. abscessus patients, the MIC of clarithromycin (CLR) was significantly lower on day 3 in patients with a better treatment response than in refractory patients (The median MIC; 0.75 μg/ml v.s 2.0 μg/ml, p = 0.03). There was no significant relation between clinical manifestations and variable number of tandem repeat genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Because the history and simultaneous isolation of other NTM in MABC infection are relatively common, these information should be carefully translated into clinical actions. The evaluation of early CLR resistance in M. abscessus and the erm(41) functions should be important to improve the treatment strategy.

Efficacy and safety of intermittent maintenance therapy after successful treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease

BACKGROUND

The optimal duration of antimicrobial therapy for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD) is unknown, and recurrence rates are high after treatment discontinuation. Intermittent therapy is recommended for the initial treatment of non-cavitary nodular/bronchiectatic MAC-LD. We hypothesized that intermittent maintenance therapy (IMT) could effectively prevent recurrence after successful treatment of MAC-LD.

METHODS

Adult patients diagnosed with MAC-LD who received IMT after successful daily therapy (DT) between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2016 were identified from clinical databases at three institutions in Japan. Treatment outcomes were evaluated for all patients.

RESULTS

Of 38 patients (median age, 66 years; 29 women; nodular/bronchiectatic form, 29 patients) who received IMT after successful treatment, one was excluded due to death from an unknown cause, 1 month after IMT initiation. Finally, treatment outcomes were evaluated for 37 patients. Twenty-eight (76%) patients had sustained negative culture results over a median follow-up duration of 2.7 (interquartile range [IQR], 1.9-6.0) years, while six (16%) required switching to DT because of clinical deterioration over a median follow-up duration of 2.7 (IQR, 1.6-4.1) years. Favorable clinical outcomes were achieved for all patients who exhibited clinical deterioration. All patients tolerated the antimicrobials without discontinuation, and follow-up drug susceptibility testing showed negative results for clarithromycin-resistant MAC in the patients who experienced clinical deterioration.

CONCLUSIONS

IMT after successful treatment may be a feasible option for patients with MAC-LD. Further studies should determine the population that would benefit from this strategy.

Recurrent Spindle Cell Carcinoma Shows Features of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

This study investigated a case of spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) in tongue pathological lesions. The patient experienced a local recurrence and distant metastasis after surgical intervention. Although standard chemotherapy was administered, a granulomatous mass continued to develop. This aggressive growth led to survival of the tumor. Secondary debulking surgery was performed to improve the patient's quality of life at the request of the patient. Using a tissue sample derived from the secondary debulking surgery, we performed an analysis of the tumor's cell surface antigens, differentiation potential, metastatic ability, and inhibition potential by anticancer reagents. In vitro analysis revealed that the cell population grown under adherent culture conditions expressed the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers CD73, CD90, and CD105. The cell line established from this SpCC contained colony-forming unit fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) and exhibited multipotent differentiation into several mesenchymal lineages, including bone, cartilage, and fat. The SpCC cells also displayed vigorous mobilization. These characteristics suggested that they had the differentiation potential of mesenchymal cells, especially MSCs, rather than that of epithelial cells. The surgical specimen analyzed in this study resisted the molecular target reagent cetuximab, which is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor. This clinical insight revealed that chemotherapy-resistant SpCC cells have different characteristics compared to most other cancer cells, which are sensitive to cetuximab. Our cell death assay revealed that SpCC cell death was induced by the anticancer drug imatinib, which is known to inhibit protein tyrosine kinase activity of ABL, platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα), and KIT. Here, we report recurrent SpCC with characteristics of MSCs and potential for treatment with imatinib.

Difficult Renal Pathological Classification in a Case of Pediatric Nephrotic Syndrome

The underlying histopathology is very important in determining patient management, as the histopathology usually has direct repercussions on the treatment response and clinical course. However, the impact of the method used to assess renal biopsies, i.e., light microscopy (LM), immunofluorescence (IF), and electron microscopy (EM), on the occurrence of a difficult biopsy classification in the native kidneys of pediatric nephrotic patients is unknown. A 12-month-old Japanese boy was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome (NS); he was administered prednisolone (60 mg/m²/day), and a continuous albumin infusion was started. A renal biopsy using LM revealed minimal change. However, an IF study showed granular staining for immunoglobulin G along the glomerular basement membrane. Therefore, he was diagnosed with membranous nephropathy (MN). As his proteinuria was so severe, we started immunosuppressant therapy and continued the albumin infusion for more than 2 months. However, he did not attain complete remission. A month later, EM examination of his renal biopsy showed extensive foot process fusion without electron-dense deposits. Although the result of the IF study suggested MN, the results of the LM and EM studies indicated minimal change. We finally diagnosed the patient with minimal change NS, in consideration of his clinical condition and course. Because of the failure of previous treatments, pulse steroid therapy was started. After five rounds of therapy the patient attained complete remission. A difficult renal biopsy finding classification, dependent on the diagnostic method used, might occur in the native kidneys of pediatric nephrotic patients. Therefore, a diagnosis should be made after considering all renal biopsy findings and the clinical course.

Significance of measurement of serum trough level and anti-drug antibody of adalimumab as personalised pharmacokinetics in patients with Crohn's disease: a subanalysis of the DIAMOND trial

BACKGROUND

Significance of monitoring adalimumab trough levels and anti-adalimumab antibodies (AAA) for disease outcome in Crohn's disease (CD) patients remained unclear.

AIM

To evaluate the association of adalimumab trough levels and AAA at week 26 with clinical remission at week 52, the effect of azathiopurine on AAA and factors influencing trough levels in CD patients in the DIAMOND trial.

METHODS

We performed this study using adalimumab trough levels, AAA at week 26 and 6-thioguanine nucleotide (TGN) in red blood cells at week 12. A multiple regression model and receiver operating analysis was performed to identify factors influencing adalimumab trough levels and AAA, and adalimumab thresholds for predicting disease activity.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference of adalimumab trough level at week 26 between patients with disease remission and without at week 52 (7.7 ± 3.3 μg/mL vs 5.4 ± 4.3 μg/mL: P <.001). Adalimumab trough level of 5.0 μg/mL yielded optimal sensitivity and specificity for remission prediction (80.2% and 55.6%, respectively). AAA development at week 26 significantly affected remission at week 52 (P = .021), which was strongly associated with adalimumab trough levels. Female gender and increasing body weight were independently associated with low adalimumab trough levels, and female gender was associated with AAA development. A cut-off 6TGN level of >222.5 p mol/8 ×10⁸ RBCs yielded sensitivity (100%) and specificity (60.6%) for AAA negativity.

CONCLUSION

Adalimumab trough levels and AAA occurrence were significantly associated with clinical remission. Higher 6TGN affected AAA negativity. The combination therapy is beneficial in some relevant aspects for CD patients. (UMIN Registration No. 000005146).