Olanzapine-induced delirium in a terminally ill cancer patient

Cost-Effectiveness of Aprepitant in Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review of Published Articles

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review is to assess the published cost-effectiveness analyses of aprepitant for patients with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed on PubMed, EMbase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, WANFANG DATA, and CBM database. The date of publication is up to January 2019. Two reviewers independently reviewed titles, abstracts, and articles sequentially to select studies for data abstraction based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreements were resolved and reviewers reached a consensus. The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the 24-item checklist of the consolidated health economic evaluation reporting standards (CHEERS). The costs reported by the included studies were converted to US dollars via purchasing power parities (PPP) in the year 2019 using the CCEMG–EPPI–Certer Cost Converter.

Results: Thirteen articles were included based on the inclusion criteria for cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-utility analysis. Twelve studies were rated as good quality and one as a moderate quality based on the CHEERS checklist. Eight studies compared aprepitant plus 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist (5-HT3RA) and dexamethasone with the standard regimen (5-HT3RA and dexamethasone). It was concluded that aprepitant plus standard regimen was a cost-effective strategy for preventing CINV. Only one study that compared aprepitant plus 5-HT3RA with 5-HT3RA, concluded that the addition of aprepitant reduced the incidence of severe nausea, and it might also provide an economic benefit in the overall management. Four studies that compared aprepitant with other antiemetic drugs concluded that aprepitant is a cost-effective strategy for preventing CINV compared with metoclopramide. However, netupitan + palonosetron and olanzapine are cost-effective compared with aprepitant.

Conclusion: This study is the first systematic evaluation of adding aprepitant to standard regimens for patients with CINV. Most economic evaluations of antiemetic medications are reported to be of good quality. Adding aprepitant to standard regimens is found to be a cost-effective strategy for preventing CINV.

Olanzapine combined with 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist (5-HT3 RA) plus dexamethasone for prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in high and moderate emetogenic chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

We performed a pooled analysis to evaluate the efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of olanzapine combined with dexamethasone plus 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist (5-HT3 RA) compared with 5-HT3 RA plus dexamethasone for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in high and moderate emetogenic chemotherapy based on randomised controlled trials (RCTs). PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Literature database (CBM), WanFang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP) (from their inception to April 2019) were searched to capture relevant articles. Relative risk with 95% confidence intervals for CINV and AEs were all extracted or calculated. Eleven studies with 1107 cancer patients were involved in this review. The pooled RR of delayed CINV (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.66; p<0.01) were significantly decreased in the olanzapine group. The occurrence of insomnia was also statistically decreased, as was the rate of acute CINV (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.75; p<0.01). However, only the percentages of CINV III and CINV IV were significantly decreased in the acute and delayed phases. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the efficacy was not statistically significantly different between 5 mg and 10 mg olanzapine. Olanzapine significantly decreased the occurrence of CINV III and IV and insomnia in high and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Compared with 10 mg per day, 5 mg oral olanzapine may be more appropriate for patients with cancer.

The Use of Physostigmine in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Anticholinergic Toxicity After Olanzapine Overdose: Literature Review and Case Report

BACKGROUND

Second-generation antipsychotic agents are commonly used by clinicians for the treatment of various psychiatric and medical conditions. Despite their presumed safety, an overdose with olanzapine may lead to the development of anticholinergic toxicity. The anticholinergic toxidrome is characterized by both central and peripheral physical findings. Central anticholinergic syndrome, a term used to describe the symptoms that arise from reduced cholinergic activity in the central nervous system, is characterized primarily by signs and symptoms consistent with hyperactive delirium. Signs of peripheral anticholinergia include mydriasis and blurred vision, tremors, ataxia, fever/hyperthermia, flushed and dry skin, dry oral mucosa, decreased bowel sounds, constipation, and urinary retention, among other symptoms. In extreme cases, central anticholinergic syndrome can be associated with seizures, coma, respiratory failure, and cardiovascular collapse.

OBJECTIVE

To provide scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of physostigmine use in cases of anticholinergic toxicity.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive review of the published literature on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of anticholinergic toxicity.

RESULTS

Currently the recommended treatment for olanzapine overdose, as is the case of most severe anticholinergic toxicity cases, involves supportive care, along with cardiac, neurological, and respiratory status monitoring. In addition, we detail the symptoms characteristic of anticholinergic toxicity, using the case of a patient experiencing central anticholinergic syndrome after an overdose with olanzapine.

CONCLUSION

Physostigmine, a tertiary acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, can be used to assist in the both the diagnosis and management of severe anticholinergic toxicity associated with an olanzapine overdose, which might be applicable to the antimuscarinic toxidrome associated with the ingestion of agents with significant anticholinergic activity.

Can Olanzapine Cause Delirium in the Elderly?

Objective:

To report a case of delirium probably caused by the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine in a 74-year-old man with dementia.

Case Summary:

A 74-year-old white man with a diagnosis of severe dementia of mixed etiology with behavioral disturbances was admitted to an urban teaching hospital for increasing agitation in the context of worsening dementia. Olanzapine 2.5 mg each evening was started for agitation, and the dose was titrated to 5 mg each evening with additional emergent doses. Memantine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist, was increased from the admission dose of 10 mg/day to 15 mg/day. The patient developed symptoms of delirium on hospital day 4. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and other causes of delirium were ruled out. Discontinuation of olanzapine resulted in resolution of the delirium.

Discussion:

Antipsychotic medications are commonly used to treat symptoms of delirium. Atypical antipsychotics are better tolerated in the elderly because of their fewer adverse reactions compared with other antipsychotics. Olanzapine has been successfully used in the treatment of delirium. However, there have been case reports of delirium associated with olanzapine, probably related to its intrinsic anticholinergic effect. Application of the Naranjo probability scale indicated a probable relationship between the onset of delirium and the use of olanzapine in this patient. As of December 1, 2005, this was the second such report of a case in the elderly.

Conclusions:

Although olanzapine is useful in the treatment of delirium, elderly patients treated with this drug can develop delirium and hence should be closely monitored.

Atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of delirium

The aim of this study was to review the efficacy and safety of atypical antipsychotics, comparing within class, placebo, or compared to another active treatment for delirium. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database (1 January 1990-5 November 2012). Selection criteria for review were prospective, controlled studies (comparison studies), using validated delirium rating scales as outcome measures. A total of six prospective, randomized controlled studies were included in the review. It was found that atypical antipsychotics are effective and safe in treating delirium, even though there seemed to be no difference between each agent. In particular, comparison studies with haloperidol showed that the efficacy of atypical antipsychotics was similar to that of low-dose haloperidol. It was concluded that atypical antipsychotics appear to be effective and tolerable in the management of delirium, even though the evidence is limited.

[Informed Consent and the Approval by Ethics Committees of Studies Involving the Use of Atypical Antipsychotics in the Management of Delirium]

INTRODUCTION

Delirium is an acute alteration of consciousness and cognition. Atypical antipsychotics (AA) have recently become a main part of its treatment. Studies in this population generate a series of ethical dilemmas concerning the voluntary participation of patients and their state of vulnerability since their mental faculties are, by definition, compromised.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether studies with AA for the treatment of delirium obtained an approval by an ethics committee on human research (ECHR), if an informed consent (IC) was obtained, whether the IC was verbal or written, and who gave the approval to participate.

METHOD

Systematic review of Medline for studies of delirium where quetiapine and olanzapine were the main treatment, assessing the existence of an ECHR approval and implementation of an IC.

RESULTS

11 studies were identified (6 of quetiapine and 5 of olanzapine). 5 had an ECHR approval.

CONCLUSIONS

Most studies examining the treatment of delirium with quetiapine or olanzapine were not subject to approval by an ECHR and most of them did not obtain an IC from the patient's legal guardian. It is essential that future studies of antipsychotics and other drugs for the treatment of delirium have the protocol approved by an ECHR and a written IC signed by the patient's legal representative, since by definition delirium is a condition that compromises superior mental processes.

Management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients: systematic review and evidence-based recommendations

The objectives were to review the existing literature on management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients and summarize the findings into evidence-based recommendations. Systematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were performed, using free text and MeSH/EMTREE search terms. The searches were limited to articles published in English from each database set-up date to 31 July 2009. Reference lists and relevant international conference proceedings were hand-searched. Fifty-five studies were identified, providing data on 5741 patients. The studies were classified into: (A) studies in which treatment of nausea/vomiting was the primary outcome (a total of 18 studies, of which eight studies specifically addressed opioid-induced emesis); and (B) studies in which nausea/vomiting were secondary or tertiary outcomes (37 studies). The existing evidence had several limitations, there was a lack of consistency and the overall quality was grade D. By applying the principles of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system, three weak recommendations were formulated. The current evidence is too limited to give evidence-based recommendations for the use of antiemetics for opioid-induced nausea or vomiting in cancer patients. The evidence suggests that nausea and vomiting in cancer patients receiving an opioid might be reduced by changing the opioid or opioid administration route. The evidence was also too limited to prioritize between symptomatic treatment and adjustment of the opioid treatment.

Subcutaneous olanzapine for hyperactive or mixed delirium in patients with advanced cancer: a preliminary study

CONTEXT

Oral olanzapine is effective in controlling agitation in patients with delirium, but often, parenteral administration is necessary. Intramuscular (IM) olanzapine is approved for managing agitation in schizophrenia, but this route is inappropriate for terminally ill patients.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the safety and tolerability of subcutaneous (SC) olanzapine in the management of hyperactive or mixed delirium in patients with advanced cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective open-label study in patients with advanced cancer who had agitated delirium (Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale [RASS] score ≥+1) that had not responded to a 10mg or higher dose of parenteral haloperidol over 24 hours. Patients received olanzapine 5mg SC every eight hours for three days and continued haloperidol for breakthrough agitation. For patients requiring more than 8mg of rescue haloperidol daily, the olanzapine dose was increased to 10mg SC every eight hours. Injection site, systemic toxicity, and efficacy (RASS score <+1 and total haloperidol dose <8mg per 24 hours on the last study day) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients received at least one olanzapine injection, and 15 (63%) completed the study. Median age of evaluable patients was 58 years (range 49-79), and 67% were males. No injection site toxicity was observed after 167 injections. Probable systemic toxic effects were observed in four patients (severe hypotension [blood pressure <90/50mmHg], paradoxical agitation, diabetes insipidus, and seizure). Efficacy was achieved in nine (37.5%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

IM olanzapine is well tolerated subcutaneously. Further research is needed to evaluate its efficacy in controlling agitated delirium.

Delirium associated with olanzapine therapy in an elderly male with bipolar affective disorder

Atypical antipsychotic medications are commonly used to treat symptoms of delirium. Olanzapine has been successfully used in the treatment of delirium. However, there have been few case reports of delirium associated with olanzapine. We hereby report a case of delirium associated with olanzapine therapy. Possible risk factors and underlying pathogenesis is discussed.

Delirium in the acute care setting: characteristics, diagnosis and treatment

Delirium is a neurobehavioral syndrome caused by the transient disruption of normal neuronal activity secondary to systemic disturbances. It is also the most common psychiatric syndrome found in the general hospital setting, its prevalence surpassing better known psychiatric disorders. This article reviews the published literature on delirium and addresses the epidemiology, known etiologic factors, presentation and characteristics of delirium, while emphasizing what is known about treatment strategies and prevention. Given increasing evidence that delirium is not always reversible and the many sequelae associated with its development, physicians must do everything possible to prevent its occurrence or shorten its duration, by recognizing its symptoms early, correcting underlying contributing causes, and using treatment strategies proven to help recover functional status.