The urate-lowering efficacy and safety of febuxostat in the treatment of the hyperuricemia of gout: the CONFIRMS trial

Adherence to uric acid treatment guidelines in a rheumatology clinic

The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to recommended serum uric acid levels in the rheumatology outpatients department of a university teaching hospital. We performed a retrospective study of all patients with a definitive diagnosis of gout attending our subspecialty gout clinic between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010. We evaluated adherence with two recently suggested uric acid thresholds, <300 μmol/L (<5 mg/dL) and <360 μmol/L (<6 mg/dL). Patient management was judged to adhere to the guidelines if either (1) the latest serum uric acid level was less than the specified guideline targets or (2) uric acid-lowering therapy was titrated upwards or the agent changed if the serum uric acid was above the guideline targets. One hundred two patients with a definitive diagnosis of gout attended the outpatients department between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010 and were included in the study. Median serum uric acid level was 331 μmol/L (IQR 276-456 μmol/L). Eighty-six patients (84 %) were treated with allopurinol, six patients (6 %) were treated with febuxostat (one of whom also received probenecid), and one with rasburicase. In 80 patients (78 %), the management adhered to a target guideline of <360 μmol/L (<6 mg/dL). In 66 patients (65 %), the management adhered to a target guideline of <300 μmol/L (<5 mg/dL). A treat-to-target approach has the potential to improve patient outcomes in the management of gouty arthritis. Our study shows encouraging results with the majority of patients on appropriate therapy and reaching recommended targets.

Adjudicating outcomes: fundamentals

The adjudication of outcomes has rarely been reported in the orthopaedic literature, although this process is commonly used and reported in clinical trials of other medical disciplines. Adjudication of outcomes provides more reliable and valid outcome assessment, especially when the outcome is subjective as in the case of fracture-healing. The successful implementation of adjudication in a clinical trial is an important and complex process. The process requires a substantial infrastructure of research personnel to oversee data collection at the clinical sites. The development of an adjudication charter specific to the study is a critical aspect of adjudication as it outlines the adjudication committee membership as well as their roles and responsibilities and defines the adjudication process and the decision rules. Web-based adjudication has facilitated the process as it allows rapid, efficient, and timely adjudication. This article provides an overview of the adjudication process, along with details on the common pearls and pitfalls associated with this method of outcomes assessment.

Recent advances in management of gout

Incidence and prevalence of gout have markedly increased over the last few decades in keeping with the rise in prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Until recently, management of gout in patients with associated metabolic syndrome and comorbid illnesses such as renal impairment was difficult because of limited treatment options. However, significant progress has been made in the last few years, with introduction of new treatments such as interleukin-1 antagonists for management of acute gout, and febuxostat and pegloticase for chronic gout. The association of gout with alcohol, dietary purines and fructose ingestion has been confirmed in large prospective studies, thus enabling the clinician to now provide evidence-based advice to patients. Recent efficacy and safety data favour lower over higher doses of colchicine, and oral corticosteroids over non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for patients with acute gout. Local ice therapy might help to differentiate gout from other forms of inflammatory arthritis, and supplementation with vitamin C help to reduce risk of gout. Several other drugs with rational mechanisms of action are in the pipeline, and likely to be introduced over the next few years. A new era has thus begun in the field of gout.

Treatment of chronic gouty arthritis: it is not just about urate-lowering therapy

OBJECTIVES

The management of gouty arthritis is focused on treating pain and inflammation associated with acute flares and preventing further acute flares and urate crystal deposition. A challenge associated with the successful management of gouty arthritis is an increased risk of acute flares during the first months after initiation of urate-lowering therapy (ULT). This increase in flare frequency can occur regardless of the choice of ULT and is linked to suboptimal patient adherence to ULT. Current treatment recommendations for the use of prophylaxis are limited. There are no definitive recommendations as to which agents should be used or for how long therapy is beneficial after starting ULT. This article aims to improve awareness of the importance of gouty arthritis flare prophylaxis when initiating ULT and to summarize current recommendations and clinical findings related to the efficacy and safety of currently available and investigational new therapies.

METHODS

This review discusses the pathophysiology of acute gouty arthritis flares during initiation of ULT and examines the literature on the use of anti-inflammatory prophylaxis for reduction of these flares.

RESULTS

It has recently become clear that, even when the patient is asymptomatic, chronic inflammation is often present in patients with chronic gouty arthritis. Chronic anti-inflammatory therapy should therefore be added to chronic ULT. Prophylaxis with colchicine as well as with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) during ULT initiation can reduce the incidence and severity of gouty arthritis flares substantially; however, safety concerns associated with colchicine and NSAIDs may limit their use.

CONCLUSION

When colchicine and NSAIDs are contraindicated or poorly tolerated, rilonacept and canakinumab, interleukin-1 inhibitors in trials, may prove to be useful alternatives for flare prevention. (Of note, although both inhibit the IL-1β pathway, rilonacept also binds to IL-1α and IL-1RA, in contrast to canakinumab, which binds selectively to IL-1β.).

Treating hyperuricemia of gout: safety and efficacy of febuxostat and allopurinol in older versus younger subjects

Despite an increasing incidence of gout in older age patients with multiple metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities, there are limited data addressing whether currently available urate-lowering therapy is comparably effective and safe in older (≥65 years of age) versus younger (<65 years of age) patients. In this secondary analysis of data from the CONFIRMS trial, we found that among 374 older subjects, urate-lowering therapy with approved doses of febuxostat or commonly prescribed doses of allopurinol was at least comparable to that in 1894 younger subjects and was well tolerated despite high rates of renal impairment and cardiovascular comorbidities in the older subjects.

The efficacy and safety of febuxostat for urate lowering in gout patients ≥65 years of age

Background

The incidence of gout rises with increasing age. Management of elderly (≥65 years) gout patients can be challenging due to high rates of comorbidities, such as renal impairment and cardiovascular disease, and concomitant medication use. However, there is little data specifically addressing the efficacy and safety of available urate-lowering therapies (ULT) in the elderly. The objective of this post hoc analysis was to examine the efficacy and safety of ULT with febuxostat or allopurinol in a subset of elderly subjects enrolled in the CONFIRMS trial.

Methods

Hyperuricemic (serum urate [sUA] levels ≥ 8.0 mg/dL) gout subjects were enrolled in the 6-month, double-blind, randomized, comparative CONFIRMS trial and randomized, 1:1:1, to receive febuxostat, 40 mg or 80 mg, or allopurinol (200 mg or 300 mg based on renal function) once daily. Flare prophylaxis was provided throughout the study duration.

Study endpoints were the percent of elderly subjects with sUA <6.0 mg/dL at the final visit, overall and by renal function status, percent change in sUA from baseline to final visit, flare rates, and rates of adverse events (AEs).

Results

Of 2,269 subjects enrolled, 374 were elderly. Febuxostat 80 mg was significantly more efficacious (82.0%) than febuxostat 40 mg (61.7%; p < 0.001) or allopurinol (47.3%; p < 0.001) for achieving the primary efficacy endpoint. Febuxostat 40 mg was also superior to allopurinol in this population (p = 0.029). In subjects with mild-to-moderate renal impairment, significantly greater ULT efficacy was observed with febuxostat 40 mg (61.6%; p = 0.028) and febuxostat 80 mg (82.5%; p < 0.001) compared to allopurinol 200/300 mg (46.9%). Compared to allopurinol 200/300 mg, the mean percent change in sUA from baseline was significantly greater for both febuxostat 80 mg (p < 0.001) and febuxostat 40 mg (p = 0.011) groups. Flare rates declined steadily in all treatment groups. Rates of AEs were low and comparable across treatments.

Conclusions

These data suggest that either dose of febuxostat is superior to commonly prescribed fixed doses of allopurinol (200/300 mg) in subjects ≥65 years of age with high rates of renal dysfunction. In addition, in this high-risk population, ULT with either drug was well tolerated.

Trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov NCT#00430248

Uric acid as one of the important factors in multifactorial disorders--facts and controversies

With considering serum concentration of the uric acid in humans we are observing hyperuricemia and possible gout development. Many epidemiological studies have shown the relationship between the uric acid and different disorders such are obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension and coronary artery disease. Clinicians and investigators recognized serum uric acid concentration as very important diagnostic and prognostic factor of many multifactorial disorders. This review presented few clinical conditions which are not directly related to uric acid, but the concentrations of uric acid might have a great impact in observing, monitoring, prognosis and therapy of such disorders. Uric acid is recognized as a marker of oxidative stress. Production of the uric acid includes enzyme xanthine oxidase which is involved in producing of radical-oxigen species (ROS). As by-products ROS have a significant role in the increased vascular oxidative stress and might be involved in atherogenesis. Uric acid may inhibit endothelial function by inhibition of nitric oxide-function under conditions of oxidative stress. Down regulation of nitric oxide and induction of endothelial dysfunction might also be involved in pathogenesis of hypertension. The most important and well evidenced is possible predictive role of uric acid in predicting short-term outcome (mortality) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients and stroke. Nephrolithiasis of uric acid origin is significantly more common among patients with the metabolic syndrome and obesity. On contrary to this, uric acid also acts is an “antioxidant”, a free radical scavenger and a chelator of transitional metal ions which are converted to poorly reactive forms.

Women with gout: efficacy and safety of urate-lowering with febuxostat and allopurinol

OBJECTIVE

To compare the characteristics of female versus male gout patients and assess urate-lowering efficacy and safety of febuxostat or allopurinol treatment in women with gout.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of 4,101 hyperuricemic (serum urate [sUA] level ≥8.0 mg/dl) gout subjects enrolled in 3 phase III comparative trials and randomized to receive placebo, febuxostat (40 mg, 80 mg, 120 mg, or 240 mg daily), or allopurinol (100 mg, 200 mg, or 300 mg daily, based on renal function). Baseline demographics and characteristics were summarized and compared between female and male subjects. Urate-lowering efficacy, which was defined as the proportion of subjects with sUA levels <6.0 mg/dl at final visit, was assessed for all subjects and, among women, according to baseline renal function.

RESULTS

Female gout subjects (n = 226) were older with significantly higher rates of obesity and metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities than their male counterparts. The percentage of female subjects with sUA levels <6.0 mg/dl at final visit was 0% in the placebo group, 54.3%, 85.1%, 81.0%, and 100.0% in the febuxostat 40 mg, 80 mg, 120 mg, and 240 mg groups, respectively, and 45.9% in the allopurinol group. Similar patterns of urate-lowering efficacy rates were observed when stratified by renal function. Among all the female subjects, febuxostat 80 mg was significantly more efficacious than allopurinol (P < 0.001). Rates of adverse events (AEs) were low. The most frequently reported AEs were upper respiratory tract infections, musculoskeletal/connective tissue disorders, and diarrhea.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that febuxostat 80 mg may be more efficacious than commonly prescribed doses of allopurinol in female gout subjects with high rates of comorbidities.

[The etiology and management of gout]

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposits in and around the joint. The formation of urinary calculi can also occur in gout, but are less common than arthritis. Gout usually presents with recurrent episodes of joint inflammation, which over time lead to tophus formation and joint destruction. In the last decade, significant advances have been made regarding not only the epidemiology and genetics of gout and hyperuricemia but also the mechanisms of inflammation and treatment of gout. In addition, knowledge concerning the key role of interleukin 1 (IL-1) has provided new therapeutic perspectives. However, the current management of gout is often suboptimal, with many Patienten either not receiving adequate treatment or being unable to tolerate existing treatments. New therapeutic agents provide interesting new options for Patienten with difficult-to-treat gouty arthritis.The English full-text version of this is available at SpringerLink (under "Supplemental").

African American patients with gout: efficacy and safety of febuxostat vs allopurinol

BACKGROUND

African Americans are twice as likely as Caucasians to develop gout, but they are less likely to be treated with urate-lowering therapy (ULT). Furthermore, African Americans typically present with more comorbidities associated with gout, such as hypertension, obesity, and renal impairment. We determined the efficacy and safety of ULT with febuxostat or allopurinol in African American subjects with gout and associated comorbidities and in comparison to Caucasian gout subjects.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of the 6-month Phase 3 CONFIRMS trial. Eligible gouty subjects with baseline serum urate (sUA) ≥ 8.0 mg/dL were randomized 1:1:1 to receive febuxostat 40 mg, febuxostat 80 mg, or allopurinol (300 mg or 200 mg depending on renal function) daily. All subjects received gout flare prophylaxis. Primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of subjects in each treatment group with sUA < 6.0 mg/dL at the final visit. Additional endpoints included the proportion of subjects with mild or with moderate renal impairment who achieved a target sUA < 6.0 mg/dL at final visit. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded throughout the study.

RESULTS

Of the 2,269 subjects enrolled, 10.0% were African American and 82.1% were Caucasian. African American subjects were mostly male (89.5%), obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2; 67.1%), with mean baseline sUA of 9.8 mg/dL and mean duration of gout of 10.4 years. The proportions of African American subjects with a baseline history of diabetes, renal impairment, or cardiovascular disease were significantly higher compared to Caucasians (p < 0.001). ULT with febuxostat 80 mg was superior to both febuxostat 40 mg (p < 0.001) and allopurinol (p = 0.004). Febuxostat 40 mg was comparable in efficacy to allopurinol. Significantly more African American subjects with mild or moderate renal impairment achieved sUA < 6.0 mg/dL in the febuxostat 80 group than in either the febuxostat 40 mg or allopurinol group (p < 0.05). Efficacy rates in all treatment groups regardless of renal function were comparable between African American and Caucasian subjects, as were AE rates.

CONCLUSIONS

In African American subjects with significant comorbidities, febuxostat 80 mg is significantly more efficacious than either febuxostat 40 mg or allopurinol 200/300 mg. Febuxostat was well tolerated in this African American population.Please see related article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/15.

An update on the pathology and clinical management of gouty arthritis

Gouty arthritis is an inflammatory condition associated with debilitating clinical symptoms, functional impairments, and a substantial impact on quality of life. This condition is initially triggered by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals into the joint space. This causes an inflammatory cascade resulting in the secretion of several proinflammatory cytokines and neutrophil recruitment into the joint. While generally effective, currently available agents are associated with a number of adverse events and contraindications that complicate their use. Based on our increased understanding of the inflammatory pathogenesis of gouty arthritis, several new agents are under development that may provide increased efficacy and reduced toxicity.

2011 recommendations for the diagnosis and management of gout and hyperuricemia

Gout is a major health problem in the United States; it affects 8.3 million people, which is approximately 4% of the adult population. Gout is most often diagnosed and managed in primary care practices; thus, primary care physicians have a significant opportunity to improve patient outcomes. Following publication of the 2006 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) gout guidelines, significant new evidence has accumulated, and new treatments for patients with gout have become available. It is the objective of these 2011 recommendations to update the 2006 EULAR guidelines, paying special attention to the needs of primary care physicians. The revised 2011 recommendations are based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach as an evidence-based strategy for rating quality of evidence and grading the strength of recommendation formulated for use in clinical practice. A total of 26 key recommendations, 10 for diagnosis and 16 for management, of patients with gout were evaluated, resulting in important updates for patient care. The presence of monosodium urate crystals and/or tophus and response to colchicine have the highest clinical diagnostic value. The key aspect of effective management of an acute gout attack is initiation of treatment within hours of symptom onset. Low-dose colchicine is better tolerated and is as effective as a high dose. When urate-lowering therapy (ULT) is indicated, the xanthine oxidase inhibitors allopurinol and febuxostat are the options of choice. Febuxostat can be prescribed at unchanged doses for patients with mild-to-moderate renal or hepatic impairment. The target of ULT should be a serum uric acid level that is ≤ 6 mg/dL. For patients with refractory and tophaceous gout, intravenous pegloticase is a new treatment option. This article is a summary of the 2011 clinical guidelines published in Postgraduate Medicine. This article provides a streamlined, accessible overview intended for quick review by primary care physicians, with the full guidelines being a resource for those seeking additional background information and expanded discussion.

Efficacy and safety of febuxostat in patients with hyperuricemia and gout

The past decade has witnessed an exponential increase of novel therapeutic modalities for a variety of rheumatic disorders, including gout. During the past few years two novel therapeutic agents have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of hyperuricemia in patients with gout, one of them being febuxostat, a nonpurine selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Review of its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, efficacy and safety profile, and use in gout patients with comorbid conditions reveals that age and gender have no clinically significant effect and dose adjustments based on age or gender are not required. In addition, febuxostat can be used in patients with mild-to-moderate renal or hepatic involvement. Its overall efficacy and safety profile is comparable and, in certain subsets such as gout patients with mild and moderate renal insufficiency, is superior to allopurinol.

[Slowing chronic kidney disease progression: hopes and disappointments. Vascular repair of chronic kidney]

In chronic kidney disease patients, inexorable renal function decline is reduced by renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers decrease blood pressure and proteinuria. Guidelines recommend a reduction of blood pressure to less than 130/80 mmHg and urinary protein excretion below 0.5 g/d. The combined use of a diuretic increases anti-proteinuric effect and blood pressure control of RAS blockers. Drugs as mineralo-corticocoids receptor antagonist and endothelin receptor antagonists reduce further albuminuria in combination with RAS blocker, but side effects need to be precised. Both metabolic acidosis and hyperuricemia represent new therapeutic goals to slow renal function decline in CKD patients. Renal fibrosis treatment and regenerative medicine are stemming and will be important issues for kidney and other organs in the future.

Gouty arthritis: understanding the disease state and management options in primary care

Acute gouty arthritis is an inflammatory response triggered by the release of monosodium urate crystal deposits into the joint space. The disease is associated with debilitating clinical symptoms and functional impairments as well as adverse economic and quality-of-life burdens. Because gouty arthritis is typically diagnosed and managed in the primary care setting, clinicians require a thorough knowledge of the presenting clinical features, risk factors, differential diagnoses, and treatment options for appropriate management. Although generally effective, the use of currently available therapies to control gouty arthritis is challenging because many medications used to treat comorbidities can exacerbate gouty arthritis and because current agents are associated with a number of adverse events, contraindications, or both. Based on an understanding of the underlying inflammatory pathogenesis of gouty arthritis, several new agents are being developed that may provide improved efficacy.

Management of gout in the older adult

BACKGROUND

Gout affects 3 million people in the United States, with rates almost 5 times higher in those aged 70 to 79 years compared with those aged < 50 years. Management of gout in elderly subjects can be complicated by comorbidities and polypharmacy.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article was to review the unique clinical presentation, treatment, and prevention of gout in the older adult, with attention to the age-related factors that may affect outcomes in this population.

METHODS

PubMed and the Iowa Drug Information Service were searched (1944-January 14, 2011) for clinical studies of gout using the following search terms: gout, elderly, colchicine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroid, prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, triamcinolone, allopurinol, febuxostat, probenecid, sulfinpyrazone, uricosuric, fenofibrate, and losartan. Articles were limited to clinical trials in humans, published in English. Citations of these articles were analyzed for additional relevant studies, and current guidelines were also consulted.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine citations were reviewed. Evidence suggests that colchicine, NSAIDs, and corticosteroids are all efficacious in the treatment of acute gout in the older adult. Relevant limitations to colchicine use in the older adult include high cost, dosing restrictions in severe renal and hepatic dysfunction, gastrointestinal intolerance, and potential drug interactions. NSAID therapy is not recommended in older patients with congestive heart failure, renal failure, or gastrointestinal problems. Corticosteroids pose little risk when used in the short-term and may be preferred in patients with contraindications to colchicine or NSAIDs. Urate lowering with allopurinol for prevention of gout is well tolerated and has minimal cost per month; however, dose reduction is recommended in patients with renal impairment, which often results in failure to achieve target serum urate concentrations. Febuxostat does not require dose adjustment in mild to moderate renal disease and may be preferred in older people with this condition.

CONCLUSION

Management of gout in the older adult involves careful selection of treatment based on potential benefits and consequences of therapy, considered in tandem with individual patient-specific characteristics. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers NCT00549549, NCT01101035, NCT00241839, NCT01157936, NCT00997542, NCT00288158, and NCT00987415.

[New therapeutic options for gout]

Chronic hyperuricemia and acute arthritis in severe gouty patients can be difficult to manage, in particular in patients with renal failure or with history of cardio vascular conditions. Hopefully, new drugs have been approved or will emerge, and will help to overcome these situations. Febuxostat has been recently approved in France for the treatment of chronic hyperuricemia in conditions where urate deposition has already occurred. Febuxostat is a novel non-purine, selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, metabolized and excreted by the liver, so no dose adjustment appears to be necessary in patients with mild-to-moderate renal impairment. Other novel hypouricemic drugs are the PEG-uricase (pegloticase), recently approved by the FDA, and a novel uricosuric drug (RDEA594), which is currently under development. The discovery that interleukin 1β (IL- β) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of acute attacks of gout has prompted to assess the efficacy of IL-1 β blockers in patients with acute gout. Biologic agents that inhibit IL-1 β such as canakinumab, rilonacept and anakinra have shown promising results for the treatment of gouty arthritis.

Febuxostat in gout: serum urate response in uric acid overproducers and underexcretors

OBJECTIVE

Hyperuricemia of gout can arise due to either overproduction or underexcretion of uric acid. Not all available urate-lowering therapies are equally effective and safe for use in patients with renal disease. The objective of this post-hoc analysis was to determine the effectiveness of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat in reducing serum urate (sUA) levels in gouty patients who were either overproducers or underexcretors.

METHODS

Gouty subjects 18 to 85 years of age with sUA ≥ 8.0 mg/dl at baseline were enrolled in a Phase 2, 28-day, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and randomized to receive febuxostat 40 mg, 80 mg, or 120 mg daily, or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of subjects with sUA < 6.0 mg/dl at Day 28. Secondary efficacy endpoints included percentage reductions in sUA and urinary uric acid (uUA) from baseline to Day 28.

RESULTS

Of the 153 subjects, 118 (77%) were underexcretors (uUA ≤ 800 mg/24 h) and 32 (21%) were overproducers (uUA > 800 mg/24 h); baseline uUA data were missing for 3 subjects. Treatment with febuxostat led to the majority of subjects achieving sUA < 6.0 mg/dl at Day 28. Treatment with any dose of febuxostat led to significantly greater percentage reductions in uUA than that observed in the placebo group, for both underexcretors and overproducers.

CONCLUSION

Febuxostat is a highly efficacious urate-lowering therapy in patients with gout regardless of overproduction or underexcretion status.

Canakinumab reduces the risk of acute gouty arthritis flares during initiation of allopurinol treatment: results of a double-blind, randomised study

Objective

This study assessed the efficacy and safety of canakinumab, a fully human anti-interleukin 1β monoclonal antibody, for prophylaxis against acute gouty arthritis flares in patients initiating urate-lowering treatment.

Methods

In this double-blind, double-dummy, dose-ranging study, 432 patients with gouty arthritis initiating allopurinol treatment were randomised 1:1:1:1:1:1:2 to receive: a single dose of canakinumab, 25, 50, 100, 200, or 300 mg subcutaneously; 4×4-weekly doses of canakinumab (50+50+25+25 mg subcutaneously); or daily colchicine 0.5 mg orally for 16 weeks. Patients recorded details of flares in diaries. The study aimed to determine the canakinumab dose having equivalent efficacy to colchicine 0.5 mg at 16 weeks.

Results

A dose-response for canakinumab was not apparent with any of the four predefined dose-response models. The estimated canakinumab dose with equivalent efficacy to colchicine was below the range of doses tested. At 16 weeks, there was a 62% to 72% reduction in the mean number of flares per patient for canakinumab doses ≥50 mg versus colchicine based on a negative binomial model (rate ratio: 0.28–0.38, p≤0.0083), and the percentage of patients experiencing ≥1 flare was significantly lower for all canakinumab doses (15% to 27%) versus colchicine (44%, p<0.05). There was a 64% to 72% reduction in the risk of experiencing ≥1 flare for canakinumab doses ≥50 mg versus colchicine at 16 weeks (hazard ratio (HR): 0.28–0.36, p≤0.05). The incidence of adverse events was similar across treatment groups.

Conclusions

Single canakinumab doses ≥50 mg or four 4-weekly doses provided superior prophylaxis against flares compared with daily colchicine 0.5 mg.

Febuxostat methanol solvate

In the title compound {systematic name: [2-(3-cyano-4-isobutyl­oxyphen­yl)-4-methyl-1,3-thia­zole-5-carb­oxy­lic acid (febuxostat) methanol monosolvate}, C₁₆H₁₆N₂O₃S·CH₄O, the benzene and thia­zole rings in the febuxostat mol­ecule are twisted at 5.3 (1)°. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular O—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the febuxostat and methanol mol­ecules into helical chains along the 2₁ screw axis.

A new perspective on the pharmacoeconomics of colchicine

BACKGROUND

Gout is a common inflammatory arthritis that affects ∼4% of the US population. Most patients with gout are >50 years of age and have multiple comorbidities. Gout is caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints secondary to hyperuricemia. Gout typically presents as an acute painful inflammation (flare) involving one or more joint. Left untreated it can progress into a more chronic polyarthritis. Acute gout flare treatment options include colchicine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and corticosteroids. The safety and efficacy of colchicine, especially in the presence of comorbidity and potential contraindications, has only recently been systematically investigated.

METHODS

Through the use of a systematic computer-based literature analysis, this pharmacoeconomic review evaluated costs, risks, and benefits of Colcrys (colchicine) compared with other treatments for gout in the US.

RESULTS

Both colchicine and NSAIDs are historically associated with gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events (AEs). Colchicine has very low risk for AEs, even in patients with GI disorders; whereas, NSAIDS are contraindicated in patients with GI disorders, renal insufficiency, and heart failure. The monthly cost of treating 100 patients with Colcrys was $33,100 compared with $3000 for NSAIDs. However, hospitalization for GI complications (1.8%) and heart failure (1.9%) is common with NSAIDs and can increase the monthly cost of treating 100 patients with NSAIDs to $161,000, considering $15,000-20,000 per day of hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering high costs associated with treating patients with gout, it seems prudent to choose the treatment with greatest benefit, lowest cost, and least risk. Despite higher cost per dose, colchicine appears to be more cost effective for management of gout flares than NSAIDs.

[Treatment of gout]

In France, colchicine remains the standard treatment for the acute flare of gout. The lowest dose currently used decreases digestive toxicity. Doses of colchicine should be adapted to renal function and age, and possible drug interactions should be considered. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are an alternative to colchicine, but their use is frequently limited by comorbidity. When these treatments are contraindicated, corticosteroid injections can be performed after excluding septic arthritis. Systemic corticosteroids could be used in severe polyarticular flares. Anti-IL1 should provide a therapeutic alternative for severe cortico dependant gout with tophus. To prevent acute flares and reduce tophus volume, uric acid serum level should be reduced and maintained below 60mg/L (360μmol/L). To achieve this objective, it is often necessary to increase the daily dose of allopurinol above 300mgs, but the need to adapt the dose to renal function is a frequent cause of therapeutic failure. In the absence of renal stone or renal colic and hyperuraturia, uricosuric drugs are the second-line treatment. Probenecid is effective when creatinine clearance is superior to 50mL/min Benzbromarone, which was withdrawn due to hepatotoxicity, can be obtained on an individualized patient basis in the case of failure of allopurinol and probenecid. Febuxostat, which was recently approved, is a therapeutic alternative. Diuretics should be discontinued if possible. Use of fenofibrate should be discussed in the presence of dyslipidemia and losartan in patient with high blood pressure. Uricolytic drugs (pegloticase), which are currently being investigated, may be useful for the treatment of serious gout with tophus, especially in the presence of renal failure. Education of patient, identification and correction of cardiovascular risk factors should not be forgotten.

Allopurinol to Febuxostat: How far have we come?

For decades allopurinol has been used as a xanthine oxidase inhibitor for treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. Although effective in many patients, some experience sensitivity to the drug. In some cases, this sensitivity may lead to allopurinol hypersensitivity disorder, which if untreated can be fatal. Recently the Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of febuxostat as an alternative therapy for hyperuricemia and gout. Febuxostat is a new xanthine oxidase inhibitor, but is not purine based and therefore decreases adverse reactions due to patient sensitivity. This review is a comprehensive look at the background of hyperuricemia and gout treatment with allopurinol compared to recent clinical studies with febuxostat. Each clinical study is evaluated and summarized, identifying the advances in treatment that have been made as well as the concerns that still exist with either treatment.

Oral colchicine (Colcrys): in the treatment and prophylaxis of gout

Oral colchicine (Colcrys) is approved in the US for the treatment of acute gout flares in adult patients and the prophylaxis of gout flares in patients aged >16 years. Colchicine is a tricyclic alkaloid that interrupts multiple inflammatory response pathways. Its principal mechanism of action in gout is thought to be inhibition of cytoskeletal microtubule polymerization, an important process in neutrophil functioning. In a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial, the recommended dosage of Colcrys (1.2 mg at the first sign of the flare, followed by 0.6 mg in 1 hour) was significantly more effective than placebo in treating acute gout flare, as assessed by the proportion of patients experiencing a >or=50% reduction in pain within 24 hours of initiating treatment. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre trial, non-approved colchicine 0.6 mg once or twice daily (up to 6 months) was more effective than placebo in preventing gout flares in patients receiving allopurinol as urate-lowering therapy. At the recommended dosage for the treatment of acute gout flares, Colcrys was as well tolerated as placebo in patients with gout. The incidence of the most common adverse events was similar between recipients of the recommended dosage of Colcrys and placebo.

Crystal arthropathies: recognizing and treating "the gouch"

Gout is a common disease and the prevalence is increasing. Chronic hyperuricemia (uric acid serum levels >6.8 mg/dL) is a key feature. Treating to a target uric acid level of 6.0 mg/dL is recommended. In addition to cochicine, probenecid, and allopurinol, feboxostat is a new option for urate-lowering therapy.

Current and future therapeutic options for the management of gout

The incidence of gout and the clinical manifestation of hyperuricemia continue to rise. In addition to painful acute attacks, chronic gout can lead to the development of crystal arthropathy, tophi, and renal lithiasis, coincidental with declines in quality of life. As a greater appreciation for the associations between hyperuricemia, gout, and certain comorbidities, such as renal impairment and cardiovascular diseases, grows, so does the search for new therapeutic options to both alleviate the painful symptoms of acute gout attacks and reduce the underlying hyperuricemia. This manuscript reviews the pathophysiology of hyperuricemia and gout, and associated comorbidities, and then discusses traditional therapeutic options, newly available agents, and future targets for pharmacologic management.

Advances in gout: some answers, more questions

In a previous issue of the journal, Becker and colleagues present efficacy and safety data from a large study comparing febuxostat to allopurinol. The study showed non-inferiority of febuxostat 40 mg/day in lowering serum urate compared to allopurinol 200 to 300 mg/day. More importantly, the study showed a similar frequency of important cardiovascular adverse events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke) for febuxostat 40 mg/day (0%), febuxostat 80 mg/day (0.4%) and allopurinol groups (0.4%). Other cardiac adverse event rates (unstable angina, coronary revascularization, cerebral revascularization, transient ischemic attack, venous and peripheral arterial vascular thrombotic event, congestive heart failure, and arrhythmia) were also similar for febuxostat 40 mg/day (1.3%), febuxostat 80 mg/day (1.2%) and allopurinol groups (0.9%). A meta-analysis of safety data from published studies is presented.