Safety of long-term PPI therapy

Use of proton-pump inhibitors among adults: a Danish nationwide drug utilization study

BACKGROUND

The use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) has increased over the last decade. The objective of this study was to provide detailed utilization data on PPI use over time, with special emphasis on duration of PPI use and concomitant use of ulcerogenic drugs.

METHODS

Using the nationwide Danish Prescription Registry, we identified all Danish adults filling a PPI between 2002 and 2014. Using descriptive statistics, we reported (i) the distribution of use between single PPI entities, (ii) the development in incidence and prevalence of use over time, (iii) measures of duration and intensity of treatment, and (iv) the prevalence of use of ulcerogenic drugs among users of PPIs.

RESULTS

We identified 1,617,614 adults using PPIs during the study period. The prevalence of PPI use increased fourfold during the study period to 7.4% of all Danish adults in 2014. PPI use showed strong age dependency, reaching more than 20% among those aged at least 80 years. The proportion of users maintaining treatment over time increased with increasing age, with less than10% of those aged 18-39 years using PPIs 2 years after their first prescription, compared with about 40% among those aged at least 80 years. The overall use of ulcerogenic drugs among PPI users increased moderately, from 35% of users of PPI in 2002 to 45% in 2014.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of PPIs is extensive and increasing rapidly, especially among the elderly.

Are proton pump inhibitors really so dangerous?

For decades, millions of patients with acid-related disorders have had their acid inhibited effectively and safely first with H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) and then with proton pump inhibitors (PPI). As with any pharmacological agent, PPIs have been reported to be associated with some adverse events, but several recent large-scale observational studies have evidenced new and serious abnormalities generally linked to their chronic use. However, these studies have often important limitations for their frequent retrospective design and other methodological drawbacks, such as selection biases of the analyzed populations and the presence of various confounding factors. Overall, although the conclusions of these pharmacovigilant investigations must be taken into account and can generate important hypotheses for future research, they do not have to create panic among patients and alarmism among physicians. On considering the weakness of these studies, we suggest physicians should not refrain from continuing to use PPIs, if these drugs are given for medical indications clearly established in the literature and, more importantly, they should not be induced to shift to H2RAs, a class of antisecretory agents that are much less effective than PPIs. A return to the past is potentially dangerous for the patients, taking into account the well-known success of PPIs in the wide spectrum of all acid-related conditions.

The role of proton pump inhibitor therapy in the management of eosinophilic esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic esophageal disease characterized by a Th2 inflammatory response triggered by food/environmental allergens. Solid data confirm that up to half of patients with suspected EoE achieve complete remission on proton pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy. This disease phenotype is currently labelled as PPI-responsive esophageal eosinophilia (PPI-REE). Albeit initially believed to represent gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), evolving evidence has underscored that PPI-REE and EoE show a significant overlap regarding clinic, endoscopic, histologic, Th2 immune-mediated inflammation and gene expression features. Moreover, PPI therapy can effectively reverse Th2 inflammation and the EoE transcriptome expression in PPI-REE patients. Therefore, EoE and PPI-REE likely represent a common allergic disorder, where PPI therapy should be considered a short- and long-term therapeutic asset, along with diet and topical steroids.

Frequency and time to onset of community-acquired respiratory tract infections in patients receiving esomeprazole: a retrospective analysis of patient-level data in placebo-controlled studies

BACKGROUND

Debate continues on whether a causal association exists between the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and the risk of respiratory tract infections, in particular pneumonia.

AIM

To investigate the occurrence of community-acquired respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia, in patients receiving esomeprazole.

METHOD

A retrospective investigation of pooled data on adverse events related to respiratory tract infections, originally reported in 24 randomised, double-blind clinical studies, was conducted. The frequencies of respiratory tract infections and their relative risks were calculated retrospectively for the total patient population (9602 patients receiving esomeprazole and 5500 receiving placebo) and for sub-populations defined according to sex, age, esomeprazole dose, indication and geographical region. The cumulative frequency of first occurrence of events was calculated over 180 days.

RESULTS

Frequencies of respiratory tract infections were similar in patients receiving esomeprazole and in those receiving placebo (any respiratory tract infection or signs/symptoms potentially indicating an respiratory tract infection, 0.278 and 0.296 patients per patient-year; lower respiratory tract infections, 0.048 and 0.058 per patient-year; pneumonia, 0.006 and 0.009 per patient-year, respectively). The relative risk for any respiratory tract infection in patients receiving esomeprazole compared with placebo was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.86-1.04). For lower respiratory tract infections, the relative risk was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.65-1.03) and for pneumonia, 0.66 (95% CI, 0.36-1.22). Sub-analyses by demographics, dose and indication yielded similar results to the overall analysis. The occurrence of respiratory tract infections was evenly distributed over time and similar in the esomeprazole and placebo groups.

CONCLUSION

There is no causal association between treatment with esomeprazole and the occurrence of community-acquired respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia.

Evaluation and management of gastrointestinal manifestations in scleroderma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The gastrointestinal tract is the most common extra-cutaneous organ system involved with systemic sclerosis (SSc) affecting approximately 90% of patients. This review summarizes the recent advances in the evaluation and management of gastrointestinal manifestations of SSc.

RECENT FINDINGS

There is a growing body of evidence that uncontrolled GERD can play a significant role in the pathogenesis of SSc-associated interstitial lung disease. Newer forms of management of Barrett esophagus are showing significant promise as potentially curative therapy. Gastric antral vascular ectasias have strongly been associated with the presence of RNA polymerase III antibody. Newer technologies have advanced the assessment of gastrointestinal dysmotility in SSc. Evidence of probiotic use for the treatment of gastrointestinal complications is emerging. The UCLA SCTC GIT 2.0 questionnaire is being increasingly accepted by the SSc experts as a validated instrument for evaluation of patient-reported outcomes involving the gastrointestinal tract.

SUMMARY

Our knowledge of the complex pathogenesis of gastrointestinal manifestations of SSc has expanded substantially in the last few decades. There has also been considerable technological progress in the evaluation of these manifestations. Patient care is being optimized by close collaboration of rheumatologists and gastroenterologists, leading to a more coordinated approach in the management of these complications.

Long-term safety of proton pump inhibitor therapy assessed under controlled, randomised clinical trial conditions: data from the SOPRAN and LOTUS studies

BACKGROUND

Control of chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease may be achieved either by anti-reflux surgery (ARS) or by long-term medical therapy with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). The primary efficacy results of the SOPRAN study, comparing long-term omeprazole use with open ARS, and the LOTUS study, comparing long-term esomeprazole use with laparoscopic ARS, have been reported. A secondary objective of these studies was to address the long-term safety of these respective therapeutic strategies and thereby provide a valid scientific platform for assessing long-term PPI safety.

AIM

To assess the safety of long-term PPI therapy with omeprazole and esomeprazole through analyses of data from the randomised SOPRAN and LOTUS studies.

METHODS

Safety data were collected from patients during the 12-year period of the SOPRAN study (n = 298) and the 5-year period of the LOTUS study (n = 514). Reported serious adverse events (SAEs) and changes in laboratory variables were analysed.

RESULTS

Across both studies, SAEs were reported at a similar frequency in the PPI and ARS treatment groups. Taking the time frames into consideration, the number of fatal SAEs in the two studies was low in both treatment groups. Laboratory results, including routine haematology and tests for liver enzymes, electrolytes, vitamin D, vitamin B12 , folate and homocysteine, showed no clinically relevant changes over time. As expected, gastrin and chromogranin A were elevated in the PPI groups, with the greatest increases observed in the first year.

CONCLUSION

No major safety concerns arose during 5-12 years of continuous PPI therapy. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00251927 and NCT00256737).

ATP4a is required for development and function of the Xenopus mucociliary epidermis - a potential model to study proton pump inhibitor-associated pneumonia

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which target gastric H(+)/K(+)ATPase (ATP4), are among the most commonly prescribed drugs. PPIs are used to treat ulcers and as a preventative measure against gastroesophageal reflux disease in hospitalized patients. PPI treatment correlates with an increased risk for airway infections, i.e. community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia. The cause for this correlation, however, remains elusive. The Xenopus embryonic epidermis is increasingly being used as a model to study airway-like mucociliary epithelia. Here we use this model to address how ATP4 inhibition may affect epithelial function in human airways. We demonstrate that atp4a knockdown interfered with the generation of cilia-driven extracellular fluid flow. ATP4a and canonical Wnt signaling were required in the epidermis for expression of foxj1, a transcriptional regulator of motile ciliogenesis. The ATP4/Wnt module activated foxj1 downstream of ciliated cell fate specification. In multiciliated cells (MCCs) of the epidermis, ATP4a was also necessary for normal myb expression, apical actin formation, basal body docking and alignment of basal bodies. Furthermore, ATP4-dependent Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the epidermis was a prerequisite for foxa1-mediated specification of small secretory cells (SSCs). SSCs release serotonin and other substances into the medium, and thereby regulate ciliary beating in MCCs and protect the epithelium against infection. Pharmacological inhibition of ATP4 in the mature mucociliary epithelium also caused a loss of MCCs and led to impaired mucociliary clearance. These data strongly suggest that PPI-associated pneumonia in human patients might, at least in part, be linked to dysfunction of mucociliary epithelia of the airways.

Use of proton pump inhibitors after antireflux surgery: a nationwide register-based follow-up study

OBJECTIVE

Antireflux surgery (ARS) has been suggested as an alternative to lifelong use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in reflux disease. Data from clinical trials on PPI use after ARS have been conflicting. We investigated PPI use after ARS in the general Danish population using nationwide healthcare registries.

DESIGN

A nationwide retrospective follow-up study of all patients aged ≥18 and undergoing first-time ARS in Denmark during 1996-2010. Two outcome measures were used: redemption of first PPI prescription after ARS (index prescription) and a marker of long-term use, defined by an average PPI use of ≥180 defined daily doses (DDDs) per year. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards model were used for statistics.

RESULTS

3465 patients entered the analysis. 12.7% used no PPI in the year before surgery, while 14.2%, 13.4% and 59.7% used 1-89 DDD, 90-179 DDD and ≥180 DDD, respectively. Five-, 10- and 15-year risks of redeeming index PPI prescription were 57.5%, 72.4% and 82.6%, respectively. Similarly, 5-, 10- and 15-year risks of taking up long-term PPI use were 29.4%, 41.1% and 56.6%. Female gender, high age, ARS performed in most recent years, previous use of PPI and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or antiplatelet therapy significantly increased the risk of PPI use.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk of PPI use after ARS was higher than previously reported, and more than 50% of patients became long-term PPI users 10-15 years postsurgery. Patients should be made aware that long-term PPI therapy is often necessary after ARS.

Use of antacids, alginates and proton pump inhibitors: a survey of the general Danish population using an internet panel

OBJECTIVE

Both over-the-counter medicine, such as antacids or alginates, and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are used for treating acid-related disorders. We sought to describe what characterizes users of these different medicines, including long-term PPI users within the general population.

METHOD

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in an internet panel representative of the Danish adult population in 2012. Data queried included antacid/alginate and PPI use, reason for therapy, co-medication, and presence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Long-term PPI use was defined as using PPI ≥1/3 of the last year (∼120 days). Risk of long-term PPI use was estimated by logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 18,223 people received the questionnaire, of which 52% (9390) responded. Antacid/alginate use was reported by 23%; 16% reported use of only antacid/alginate. PPI use was reported by 13.6%; 6.2% were defined as long-term PPI users. Antacid/alginate users were younger, used less co-medication, had most often started on therapy because of reflux symptoms, and had less often ongoing symptoms. Risk of long-term PPI use appeared to be increased in male gender, by renewing PPI prescription by phone/e-mail, using co-medication, and having started on PPI for several reasons. Combination of antacid/alginate and PPI was reported by approximately 50% of those on therapy with weekly or daily symptoms.

CONCLUSION

23% of Danish adults were using antacids or alginates and 14% were using PPI, of which one-half were on long-term therapy. Prescription renewal by phone or e-mail and use of other prescription medication were associated with long-term PPI use, indicating a behavioral pattern, in which unnecessary PPI therapy may be maintained.

Association between recent use of proton pump inhibitors and nontyphoid salmonellosis: a nested case-control study

BACKGROUND

The association between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and nontyphoid salmonellosis (NTS) continues to be debated. The current study was designed to determine the association between use of oral PPIs and the diagnosis of NTS.

METHODS

The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2010 was searched for cases of NTS, defined by the International Classification of Disease, Ninth revision, Clinical Modification. A nested case-control study in hospitalized population was conducted using 4 controls for each case patient (14 736 case patients and 58 944 controls), matched for age, month and year of entry, Charlson comorbidity index score, and well-known predisposing factors for NTS, including autoimmune diseases, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, diabetes, cirrhosis, transplantation, gastrointestinal operations or diseases, and malignancies.

RESULTS

Persons with NTS had a higher rate of using oral PPIs within the prior year (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.95-2.24; P < .001). The association was greatest for current PPI use (adjusted OR, 5.39; 95% CI, 4.79-6.06; P < .001). Although use of H2-receptor antagonists (adjusted OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.71-1.98), antibiotics (5.21; 4.81-5.64), steroids (3.18; 2.99-3.39), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (2.37; 2.26-2.48) within the 30 days were also associated with NTS, the linkage between PPI use and NTS remained significant in the subgroup without these medications.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of oral PPIs was associated with the occurrence of NTS. The risk waned with time after discontinuation.

Common GI Drug Interactions in the Elderly

OPINION STATEMENT

The careful review of drug-drug interactions is vital to the safe prescribing of medications for chronic medical conditions. The elderly population suffers from multiple medical problems, and polypharmacy leads to further morbidity in this vulnerable group of patients. We discuss gastrointestinal conditions such as GERD, peptic ulcer disease, gastroparesis, diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver disease and the commonly used medications in these conditions. Treatment options must be individualized and tailored to accommodate the underlying pharmacokinetics and known drug-drug interactions. The indication for the use of a therapeutic agent in the elderly and the duration of use must be frequently readdressed to help prevent polypharmacy and adverse drug reactions. Medications should be started at a low dose with careful titration to achieve a clinical response to prevent toxicity. The aim of this article is to increase awareness of important drug-drug interactions of commonly prescribed gastrointestinal medications in the elderly.

Iron deficiency in the elderly population, revisited in the hepcidin era

Iron deficiency (ID) is relatively common among the elderly population, contributing substantially to the high prevalence of anemia observed in the last decades of life, which in turn has important implications both on quality of life and on survival. In elderly subjects, ID is often multifactorial, i.e., due to multiple concurring causes, including inadequate dietary intake or absorption, occult bleeding, medications. Moreover, because of the typical multimorbidity of aged people, other conditions leading to anemia frequently coexist and make diagnosis of ID particularly challenging. Treatment of ID is also problematic in elderly, since response to oral iron is often slow, with a substantial fraction of patients showing refractoriness and requiring cumbersome intravenous administration. In the last decade, the discovery of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin has revolutionized our understanding of iron pathophysiology. In this review, we revisit ID among elderly people in the light of the impressive recent advances on knowledge of iron regulation, and discuss how hepcidin may help in diagnosis and treatment of this common clinical condition.

Rising rates of proton pump inhibitor prescribing in US emergency departments

OBJECTIVE

There have been mounting safety concerns over increasing prescription rates for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Trends in PPI use have not been studied in emergency departments (EDs). We characterize trends in PPI use in US EDs.

METHODS

We used data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey, from 2001 to 2010, focusing on encounters with a reason for visit with a potential indication for a PPI, histamine receptor (H2) blocker, or antacid. Patient, provider, visit, and hospital-level factors associated with increases in PPI use were evaluated.

RESULTS

Among included visits, ED PPI prescribing more than doubled from 3.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.4-3.8) to 7.2% (95% CI: 6.3-8.3) from 2001 to 2010. Histamine receptor blocker use decreased from 6.8% (95% CI: 6.0-7.7) to 5.7% (95% CI: 4.9-6.7) and antacids from 7.2% (95% CI: 6.3-8.2) to 5.5% (95% CI: 4.8-6.3). Proton pump inhibitor prescribing was higher in males and whites yet increased across all demographics, including in adults aged 65 years and older. Proton pump inhibitor prescribing increased significantly in all US regions and across all hospital and payer types. Pantoprazole was the agent with the largest increase in use.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the past decade, there have been considerable increases in PPI prescribing in US EDs. This trend occurred despite rising safety concerns, even in populations at higher risk for adverse events such as older adults. More education may be needed to ensure that ED providers are familiar with indications for PPIs.

Innovative treatments for adults with obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects one in five adult males and is associated with significant comorbidity, cognitive impairment, excessive daytime sleepiness, and reduced quality of life. For over 25 years, the primary treatment has been continuous positive airway pressure, which introduces a column of air that serves as a pneumatic splint for the upper airway, preventing the airway collapse that is the physiologic definition of this syndrome. However, issues with patient tolerance and unacceptable levels of treatment adherence motivated the exploration of other potential treatments. With greater understanding of the physiologic mechanisms associated with OSA, novel interventions have emerged in the last 5 years. The purpose of this article is to describe new treatments for OSA and associated complex sleep apnea. New approaches to complex sleep apnea have included adaptive servoventilation. There is increased literature on the contribution of behavioral interventions to improve adherence with continuous positive airway pressure that have proven quite effective. New non-surgical treatments include oral pressure devices, improved mandibular advancement devices, nasal expiratory positive airway pressure, and newer approaches to positional therapy. Recent innovations in surgical interventions have included laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, radiofrequency ablation, palatal implants, and electrical stimulation of the upper airway muscles. No drugs have been approved to treat OSA, but potential drug therapies have centered on increasing ventilatory drive, altering the arousal threshold, modifying loop gain (a dimensionless value quantifying the stability of the ventilatory control system), or preventing airway collapse by affecting the surface tension. An emerging approach is the application of cannabinoids to increase upper airway tone.