Immune-Modulating Therapy for Rheumatologic Disease: Implications for Patients with Diabetes

Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Therapy and Hypoglycemia: A Real-World Pharmacovigilance Analysis

INTRODUCTION

An association between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors and hypoglycemia has been detected in a few case reports and small case series; however, no relevant pharmacovigilance data have been published yet.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to detect and characterize relevant safety signals between hypoglycemia and TNF-α inhibitor use.

METHODS

Indication-focused disproportionality analysis was conducted to detect increased reporting of TNF-α-associated hypoglycemia compared with all other reports with the same indication during the same time period. Reporting odds ratios (RORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to determine disproportionality. To reduce potential confounding factors, adjusted RORs were further calculated by logistic regression to control for age, sex, diabetes status, and concomitant drugs that potentially affect blood glucose levels.

RESULTS

In all, 1086 adverse drug reactions related to TNF-α inhibitors were reported as 'hypoglycemia'. There were no disproportionality signals of hypoglycemia in TNF-α inhibitor users with indication of inflammatory bowel disease. When TNF-α inhibitors were considered as a class, disproportion for hypoglycemia only emerged in indication of psoriasis (n = 267, ROR 1.20, 95% CI 1.02-1.41). In further analyses of specific TNF-α inhibitor type, significant RORs for hypoglycemia were found in indication of rheumatic disease, including adalimumab in ankylosing spondylitis (n = 37, ROR 1.97, 95% CI 1.28-3.04), psoriasis (n = 160, ROR 1.64, 95% CI 1.37-1.97), and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 230, ROR 1.35, 95% CI 1.16-1.56) and infliximab in psoriasis (n = 18, ROR 2.14, 95% CI 1.33-3.42). After adjusting for confounding factors, only the signals of adalimumab were stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified some potential pharmacovigilance signals between hypoglycemia and TNF-α inhibitors, which warrants further validation.

The antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects of Ionophores for the treatment of human infection

Ionophores are a diverse class of synthetic and naturally occurring ion transporter compounds which demonstrate both direct and in-direct antimicrobial properties against a broad panel of bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens. In addition, ionophores can regulate the host-immune response during communicable and non-communicable disease states. Although the clinical use of ionophores such as Amphotericin B, Bedaquiline and Ivermectin highlight the utility of ionophores in modern medicine, for many other ionophore compounds issues surrounding toxicity, bioavailability or lack of in vivo efficacy studies have hindered clinical development. The antimicrobial and immunomodulating properties of a range of compounds with characteristics of ionophores remain largely unexplored. As such, ionophores remain a latent therapeutic avenue to address both the global burden of antimicrobial resistance, and the unmet clinical need for new antimicrobial therapies. This review will provide an overview of the broad-spectrum antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of ionophores, and their potential uses in clinical medicine for combatting infection.

Relationship of Hydroxychloroquine and Ophthalmic Complications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) via the national health insurance research database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. All patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (n = 47,353) in the NHIRD (2000–2012) were enrolled in the study. The case group consists of participants with diabetic ophthalmic complications; 1:1 matching by age (±1 year old), sex, and diagnosis year of diabetes was used to provide an index date for the control group that corresponded to the case group (n = 5550). Chi-square test for categorical variables and Student’s t-test for continuous variables were used. Conditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of DR. The total number of HCQ user was 99 patients (1.8%) in the case group and 93 patients (1.7%) in the control group. Patients with hypertension (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.11–1.31) and hyperlipidemia (aOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.52–1.79) significantly increased the risk of diabetic ophthalmic complications (p < 0.001). Conversely, the use of HCQ and the presence of rheumatoid diseases did not show any significance in increased risk of DR. HCQ prescription can improve systemic glycemic profile, but it does not decrease the risk of diabetic ophthalmic complications.

Caring for Hospitalized Patients with Diabetes Mellitus, Hyperglycemia, and COVID-19: Bridging the Remaining Knowledge Gaps

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review discusses the interplay between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection), diabetes mellitus, and hyperglycemia in the hospital setting. There are data emerging about diabetes and hyperglycemia, their prevalence, and potential risks in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19.

RECENT FINDINGS

It is known that viral infections exert effects on beta cell function and insulin resistance. Therefore, much can be learned about SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 from examining these known relationships. Such pathophysiological underpinnings may unlock greater understanding as we navigate atypical cases of hyperglycemia, severe insulin resistance, and diabetic ketoacidosis amidst COVID-19. Glycemic outcomes likely have beneficial effects on morbidity and mortality, but this needs to be studied. Changes in diabetes-related protocols and new technology can be deployed in the inpatient setting to potentially improve healthcare worker and patient safety; however, one must weigh the risks and benefits of implementation during a pandemic. Ultimately, knowledge and research must be shared at record speed to combat this global crisis.