Nicorandil-associated para-stomal ulceration: Case series

Nicorandil-induced ulcerations: a 10-year observational study of all cases spontaneously reported to the French pharmacovigilance network

Nicorandil-induced ulcers remain often poorly recognised, with a late diagnosis and an inadequate management. We aimed to provide a clinical overview of the 148 spontaneously reported cases of nicorandil-induced ulcers to the French pharmacovigilance network between 2005 and 2014 and to complete this picture with worldwide published cases over the same period. Spontaneously reported nicorandil-induced ulcers were mainly mucosal (oral and anal) with a previous trauma in 23·0% of patients, revealed by a severe complication in 12·8% of cases. The mean cumulative dose of nicorandil was higher in serious cases. The median delay between the start of nicorandil use and the onset of the ulcer was 23·4 months, and after the ulcer was diagnosed, the median time to incriminate nicorandil was still 3·3 months, being shorter for mucosal ulcerations than for cutaneous ulcerations (5·2 versus 14·0 months, P = 0·001). The anatomic distribution in the 199 published cases differed slightly, but delays were similar. The hypothesis of mechanism becomes more precise, leaving no doubt about the necessity to discontinue the treatment. Practitioners need to be aware that nicorandil-induced ulcers can occur in many locations, possibly multiple and complicated, and should be simply managed by discontinuing treatment with no further reintroduction of nicorandil.

Nicorandil, Gastrointestinal Adverse Drug Reactions and Ulcerations: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

Nicorandil is a popular anti-anginal drug in Europe and Japan. Apart from some common adverse drug reactions (ADR), its safety is satisfactory. Several reports have suggested a link between nicorandil, gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration and fistulas. The review aims to critically appraise, synthesize and present the available evidence of all known GI ADR per anatomical location.

METHODS

The study complied with the PRISMA statement. Literature and pharmacovigilance databases were used to provide rate and/or calculate parameters (median age, median dose, history of symptoms, length of therapy and healing time after withdrawal of the drug). Differences in distribution of quantitative variables were analyzed via Mann-Whitney test. Correlation between quantitative variables was assessed with a Spearman's correlation coefficient. A p value <0.05 was significant.

RESULTS

Oral ulcerations occur in 0.2% of the subjects, anal ulcerations are present between 0.07% and 0.37% of patients. Oral and distal GI involvements are the most common ADR (28-29% and 27-31% of all GI ADR, respectively). The hepatobiliary system, the pancreas and salivary glands are not affected by nicorandil exposure. The time to develop oral ulcerations is 74 weeks among people on <30 mg/day compared to only 7.5 weeks in individuals on higher regimens (p = 0.47). There is a significant correlation between dose and ulcer healing time (Spearman's 0.525, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Ulcerative disease is a very commonly reported GI ADR. A delayed ulcerative tendency supports the hypothesis of an ulcerogenic metabolite. Nicorandil seems to act as a cause of the ulcerations, but appears to also work in synergy with other promoting factors. Whether the action of the metabolites relies on a specific mechanism or a simple chemical ulceration is still to be established.

Use of nicorandil is Associated with Increased Risk for Gastrointestinal Ulceration and Perforation- A Nationally Representative Population-based study

Nicorandil is a vasodilatory drug used to relieve angina symptoms. Several healthcare products regulatory agencies have issued a warning associating the use of nicorandil and gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration. We aimed to evaluate the association between use of nicorandil and GI ulceration/perforation. A population-based cohort study involving 1 million randomly sampled participants in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database was carried out. We estimated the association between use of nicorandil and GI ulceration/perforation by a Cox proportional hazards regression model. A nicorandil-specific propensity score (PS) was also created for adjustment of 75 covariates and matching. 25.8% (183/710) of nicorandil-treated patients developed new GI ulcer events and 1.6% (20/1254) developed new GI perforation events in the three-year follow-up period, as compared to 9.3% (61,281/659,081) and 0.3% (2,488/770,537) in the general population comparator cohort. Patients treated with nicorandil were at significantly increased risk of GI ulcer (PS adjusted hazard ratio 1.43, 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.65, 6848 excess cases per 100,000 person years) or GI perforation (aHR 1.60, 95% CI 1.02–2.51, 315 excess cases per 100,000 person years) compared with the nicorandil unexposed population. Our finding may warn the clinicians to weigh the overall risk-benefit balance of nicorandil treatment in patients.

Risk of skin ulcerations associated with oral nicorandil therapy: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Although healthcare products regulatory agencies have issued warnings on risk of ulceration associated with the use of nicorandil, a population-based study has not been carried out.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between use of nicorandil and skin ulceration.

METHODS

We carried out a population-based study using a cohort of 1 million people assembled from Taiwan's national health insurance database. The association between nicorandil use and skin ulcers was estimated by a Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for a nicorandil-specific propensity score (PS) comprising of 86 potential predictors (c-statistic = 0·91).

RESULTS

The prospective cohort was longitudinally followed from January 2005 to December 2009, during which 1268 new users of nicorandil and 771 136 nonusers were identified. A higher frequency of skin ulcers (29 of 1268; 2·3%) was observed for users of nicorandil compared with nonusers (3231 of 771 136; 0·4%). Compared with nonusers, the crude hazard ratio (HR) associating nicorandil use with skin ulcers was 5·52 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3·82-7·95] and the PS-adjusted HR was 1·85 (95% CI 1·27-2·69). A risk period analysis showed that the risk of skin ulceration among users of nicorandil was greatest in the first year. Subgroup analysis found that the interaction term reached statistical significance (P < 0·05) for age and diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of nicorandil was found to be associated with an increased risk for skin ulceration, especially in the first year after incident exposure. We suggest that regulatory agencies re-evaluate the risk for skin ulceration associated with use of nicorandil.

Nicorandil ulcer: moves beyond the mucosa

The management of wounds is a specialty in its infancy. Success requires more than the use of dressings. All wounds require a diagnosis, a point well illustrated by the management of these cases which depended solely on stopping nicorandil.

Diverticular fistulation is associated with nicorandil usage

INTRODUCTION

We observed that a number of patients presenting to our clinic with diverticular fistulation were taking nicorandil for angina. Recognised side effects of nicorandil include gastrointestinal and genital ulceration. The aim of our study was to determine whether nicorandil is an aetiological agent in diverticular fistulation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a case-control study of patients with diverticular disease related enteric fistulae. Two patient groups were identified: a study group of patients with diverticular fistulae, and a control group with uncomplicated diverticular disease. The proportion of patients who had ever used nicorandil was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 153 case notes were analysed, 69 patients with fistulae and 84 control patients with uncomplicated diverticular disease. Female to male ratio in both groups was 2:1. The mean age was 71 years in the fistula group and 69 years in the control diverticular disease group (P = ns). Of those with colonic fistulae, 16% were taking nicorandil compared with 2% of the control group (odds ratio 7.8; 95% confidence interval 1.5-39.1; P = 0.008). There was no significant difference in rates of ischaemic heart disease between fistula and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Nicorandil is associated with fistula formation in diverticular disease.

Diverticular fistulation is associated with nicorandil usage

INTRODUCTION

We observed that a number of patients presenting to our clinic with diverticular fistulation were taking nicorandil for angna. Recognised side effects of nicorandil include gastrointestinal and genital ulceration. The aim of our study was to determine whether nicorandil is an aetiological agent in diverticular fistulation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a case-control study of patients with diverticular disease related enteric fistulae. Two patient groups were identified: a study group of patients with diverticular fistulae, and a control group with uncomplicated diverticular disease. The proportion of patients who had ever used nicorandil was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 153 case notes were analysed, 69 patients with fistulae and 84 control patients with uncomplicated diverticular disease. Female to male ratio in both groups was 2:1. The mean age was 71 years in the fistula group and 69 years in the control diverticular disease group (P = ns). Of those with colonic fistulae, 16% were taking nicorandil compared with 2% of the control group (odds ratio 7.8; 95% confidence interval 1.5–39.1; P = 0.008). There was no significant difference in rates of ischaemic heart disease between fistula and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Nicorandil is associated with fistula formation in diverticular disease.

The role of Nicorandil in non-healing surgical wounds

We report two patients with non-healing surgical wounds, which healed after the withdrawal of Nicorandil therapy. Nicorandil should be recognised as an aetiological factor for non-healing wounds or ulcers once other inflammatory and malignant causes have been excluded. This may avoid surgery for high-risk patients and may also reduce complications for patients who undergo surgery for non-healing wounds. As Nicorandil is used in patients with severe coronary artery disease, it is recommended that the advice of a cardiologist is sought prior to cessation or adjustment to its dose.

Nicorandil-induced terminal ileal ulceration--a probable link

Nicorandil, a commonly prescribed anti-anginal agent, has been reported to be associated with ulceration in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract. A 68-year-old general practitioner presented with severe rectal bleeding and abdominal pain associated with terminal ileal ulceration diagnosed by colonoscopy. Capsule endoscopy revealed no other source of bleeding and CT was normal. Diclofenac and/or aspirin were assumed to be causative factors and discontinued. Aspirin was temporarily resumed then discontinued after a second massive, but self-limiting, haemorrhage and persistent abdominal pain. Repeat colonoscopy 5 weeks later confirmed that the previously documented terminal ileal ulceration had worsened. Histopathology was consistent with localised mucosal ischaemia. Nicorandil was withdrawn, after which no further episode of bleeding occurred and his pain settled. Repeat colonoscopy 3 months later confirmed complete healing. This report implicates nicorandil as a cause of terminal ileal ulceration leading to life-threatening rectal bleeding and abdominal pain.

Nicorandil-associated ulcerations

This leading article refers to the paper by Abdelrazeq AS, Owen C, Smith L, McAdam JG, Pearson HJ, Leveson SH. Nicorandil-associated para-stomal ulceration: case series Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2006; 18:1293-1295. We apologise to all concerned for the dissociation between the two papers, which was due to an administrative error. Nicorandil is used widely in patients with coronary artery disease. Nicorandil is well tolerated with only minor side effects. Nicorandil's association with oral, anal, gastrointestinal ulceration, and more recently para-stomal ulceration has been reported. Medical awareness of nicorandil association with ulcerations should be high to help avoid unnecessary and harmful treatment as only cessation of the drug would heal the ulceration. Nicorandil is an antianginal drug used for the treatment of symptomatic coronary artery disease. It is characterized by an arterial and venous vasodilator effect with dual mechanism of action. Nicorandil is not a first-line agent in the management of angina but it is used in combination with other antianginal medications in stable and unstable angina. It is generally well tolerated with minor side effects such as headache, nausea, flushing and dizziness. The association of nicorandil with mouth and anal ulcers as well as the association with ulceration throughout the gastrointestinal tract has been reported, and recently, an association with para-stomal ulceration has also been described. Medical awareness of the association of nicorandil with ulceration in any part of the gastrointestinal tract should be highlighted among all medical professionals to help avoid delays in withdrawing the treatment and to avoid unnecessary and sometimes invasive and costly interventions.