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Mulchandani R, Lyngdoh T, Gandotra S, Isser HS, Dhamija RK, Kakkar AK. Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1309089. [PMID: 38487184 PMCID: PMC10938915 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1309089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic that began in December 2019, has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy, health systems and infrastructure, in addition to being responsible for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. The "new normal" has brought along, unforeseen challenges for the scientific community, owing to obstructions in conducting field-based research in lieu of minimizing exposure through in-person contact. This has had greater ramifications for the LMICs, adding to the already existing concerns. As a response to COVID-19 related movement restrictions, public health researchers across countries had to switch to remote data collections methods. However, impediments like lack of awareness and skepticism among participants, dependence on paper-based prescriptions, dearth of digitized patient records, gaps in connectivity, reliance on smart phones, concerns with participant privacy at home and greater loss to follow-up act as hurdles to carrying out a research study virtually, especially in resource-limited settings. Promoting health literacy through science communication, ensuring digitization of health records in hospitals, and employing measures to encourage research participation among the general public are some steps to tackle barriers to remote research in the long term. COVID-19 may not be a health emergency anymore, but we are not immune to future pandemics. A more holistic approach to research by turning obstacles into opportunities will not just ensure a more comprehensive public health response in the coming time, but also bolster the existing infrastructure for a stronger healthcare system for countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubina Mulchandani
- Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Tanica Lyngdoh
- Division of Reproductive, Child Health and Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, India
| | - Sheetal Gandotra
- Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India
| | - H. S. Isser
- Department of Cardiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajinder K. Dhamija
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
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Singh H, Sharma J, Sikarwar P, Kakkar AK. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and the risk of lung cancer: current evidence and future directions. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2023; 16:39-47. [PMID: 36534928 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2023.2161045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent evidence has linked long-term use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors with the risk of developing lung cancer by increasing levels of substance P (SP) and bradykinin in lung tissue. DPP-4 inhibitors, by virtue of their mechanism of action, may increase the level of SP and pose a similar risk of incident lung cancer. Concomitant use of DPP-4 inhibitors and ACE inhibitors may further exaggerate this plausible risk. AREA COVERED Here we discuss both direct and indirect evidence involving mechanisms by which DPP-4 inhibitors may increase the risk of lung cancer in treated patients. We highlight that increased levels of SP with DPP-4 inhibitor monotherapy and raised levels of both SP and bradykinin with add-on ACE inhibitor therapy may further enhance this risk. EXPERT OPINION DPP-4 inhibitors are prescribed in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients with or without cardiovascular disease. When used together, ACE inhibitors and DPP-4 inhibitors may act synergistically and further amplify the lung cancer risk. Consequently, physicians should consider this plausible association while prescribing them concomitantly especially in high-risk individuals. Well-planned research studies are required to assess the association of DPP-4 inhibitors with lung cancer and other adverse effects linked to increased levels of SP and bradykinin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jatin Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Pallavi Sikarwar
- MBBS student, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Pope MK, Hall TS, Atar D, Virdone S, Pieper K, Jansky P, Steffel J, Haas S, Gersh BJ, Goto S, Panchenko E, Baron-Esquivias G, Angchaisuksiri P, Camm AJ, Kakkar AK. Rhythm versus rate control in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation: observations from the GARFIELD-AF registry. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.2000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Atrial fibrillation is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Real-world reports on the effect of early rhythm control on patient outcomes in patient with recent onset atrial fibrillation are limited.
Purpose
To assess the effect of early rhythm versus rate control on clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Method
The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-AF (GARFIELD-AF) is a non-interventional registry of adult (≥18 years) patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (≤ six weeks' duration) and at least one investigator determined risk factor for stroke. Patients were enrolled in 1317 participating sites in 35 countries between March 2010 and August 2016. Patients with permanent atrial fibrillation were excluded. Stratification to rhythm or rate control was based on treatment strategy initiated at baseline (≤48 days post enrolment). Rhythm control was defined as investigator reported initiation of rhythm control (antiarrhythmic drug(s), cardioversion, or ablation – alone or in combination with rate modifiers). Rate control was defined as investigator reported initiation of rate control and absence of rhythm control therapy. Overlap propensity weighting and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate effect on outcomes.
Results
Of 45,382 included patients, 23,858 (52.6%) received rhythm control and 21,524 (47.4%) rate control. Rates of rhythm control were similar throughout the study time period (52.7% in 2010/2011, 54.2% in 2015/2016). Patients in the rhythm control group were younger (median age (Q1; Q3) 68.0 (60.0; 76.0) versus 73.0 (65.0; 79.0)), had lower rates of prior stroke/transitory ischemic attack/systemic embolism (9.4% vs 13.0%), and a lower median GARFIELD death score (4.0 (2.3; 7.5) versus 5.1 (2.8; 9.2)). Median CHA2DS2-VASc Scores were 3.0 (2.0; 4.0) in both groups. Rate of anticoagulation treatment was similar in the rhythm and rate control group (66.0% versus 65.5%). After propensity score overlap weighting, patients of the two groups were well balanced on all observed characteristics.
Event rates per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI]) over two years follow-up in the rhythm and rate control group were 2.94 (2.78–3.10) versus 4.43 (4.22–4.64) for mortality, 0.84 (0.75–0.92) versus 1.16 (1.05–1.27) for non-haemorrhagic stroke/systemic embolism and 0.84 (0.76–0.93) versus 1.16 (1.06–1.27) for major bleeding. Adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for the same time period were 0.85 (0.79–0.92), 0.84 (0.72–0.97) and 0.9 (0.78–1.04).
Conclusion
In this large, internation registry, a rhythm control strategy was initiated at baseline in about half of the patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation. After adjustment for confounding factors, a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality and non-haemorrhagic stroke/systemic embolism were observed for patients that received an early rhythm control strategy.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by the Thrombosis Research Institute (London, UK).
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Pope
- University of Oslo, Institute of Clinical Medicine , Oslo , Norway
| | - T S Hall
- Oslo University Hospital Ulleval, Department of Cardiology , Oslo , Norway
| | - D Atar
- Oslo University Hospital Ulleval, Department of Cardiology , Oslo , Norway
| | - S Virdone
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - K Pieper
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - P Jansky
- Motol University Hospital, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery , Prague , Czechia
| | - J Steffel
- University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
| | - S Haas
- Technical University of Munich, Formerly Department of Medicine , Munich , Germany
| | - B J Gersh
- Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine , Rochester , United States of America
| | - S Goto
- Tokai University School of Medicine , Kanagawa , Japan
| | - E Panchenko
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology , Moscow , Russian Federation
| | | | - P Angchaisuksiri
- Ramathibodi Hospital, Department of Medicine , Mahidol University , Thailand
| | - A J Camm
- St George's University of London, Cardiology Clinical Academic Group Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
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Escobar Cervantes C, Camm AJ, Virdone S, Fox KAA, Bassand JP, Pieper K, Kayani G, Kakkar AK. Stroke and bleed related deaths in newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation patients: insights from the GARFIELD-AF registry. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a significant increase in stroke risk. Anticoagulation (AC) guidelines recommend stratification of stroke risk to aid AC choice. However, despite evidence supporting AC, the associated bleeding risk often leads to underdosing or omission of AC. Transition from stratification of stroke and bleeding risk to stratification of mortality associated with stroke and bleeding may overcome this therapeutic inertia.
Purpose
To quantify the risk of stroke- and bleed-related mortality in newly diagnosed AF patients according to different AC strategies.
Methods
GARFIELD-AF is the largest multinational, prospective AF registry worldwide. Stroke- and bleed-related deaths were defined as a death occurring within 30 days after each event. Predictors of stroke- and bleed-related deaths were identified through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and were selected from a comprehensive list of demographic, clinical and lifestyle factors. Expected probabilities of stroke- and bleed-related death by AC strategy were extracted from the developed Cox proportional-hazards models.
Results
Among the 52,018 GARFIELD-AF patients, 195 stroke-related deaths and 172 bleed-related deaths occurred. Patients who suffered stroke- or bleed-related deaths were older (median [Q1; Q3]: 78.0 [72.0; 84.0] and 77.0 [70.5; 83.0]) than those who did not (71.0 [63.0; 78.0]) and had a higher prevalence of comorbidities including heart failure, vascular disease, and prior stroke.
Patients who suffered a stroke-related death less frequently received vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and non-vitamin K Antagonist Oral anticoagulants (NOACs) compared to those who were alive at two years or died of a non-stroke-related death. In contrast, patients who suffered a bleed-related death more often received VKAs compared to those who did not. NOACs and AP monotherapy treatment were less common in patients who had bleed-related death (Figure 1).
Predictors for stroke-related death included age, ethnicity, heart failure, prior stroke, AC treatment, pulse, and dementia. Bleed-related mortality predictors were age, ethnicity, chronic kidney disease, AC treatment, vascular disease, and smoking status. VKAs and NOACs were associated with a lower risk of stroke-related death, reducing 2-year risk from 0.73% without AC to 0.41% and 0.36%, respectively. In contrast, bleed-related deaths increased with VKA treatment, but not with NOACs (Figure 2). The overall net benefit versus no AC treatment was greater with NOACs than VKAs.
Conclusion
Among AF patients at high stroke risk, NOACs and VKAs were associated with a reduced risk of stroke-related death compared to no AC, but the risk of bleed-related death was higher with VKA. This suggests that a new approach to risk stratification based on the net mortality benefits of NOAC use in newly diagnosed AF patients at high risk of stroke should be considered.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by the Thrombosis Research Institute (London, UK)
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A J Camm
- St George's University of London, Cardiology Clinical Academic Group Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - S Virdone
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - K A A Fox
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cardiovascular Science , Edinburgh , United Kingdom
| | | | - K Pieper
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - G Kayani
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
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Verheugt FWA, Fox KAA, Virdone S, Gersh BJ, Haas S, Pieper K, Kayani G, Camm AJ, Parkhomenko A, Kakkar AK. Differential efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation patients with or without comorbid vascular disease: insights from the GARFIELD-AF registry. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.1999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Many patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have comorbid vascular disease. The effects of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in AF patients with vascular disease, however, have not been widely studied.
Purpose
To investigate the impact of OAC in AF patients with (Vasc) or without (nVasc) concomitant vascular disease.
Methods
GARFIELD-AF is the largest multinational, prospective AF registry. The study comprised 51,574 GARFIELD-AF patients with newly diagnosed AF, 13,365 Vasc and 38,209 nVasc patients. All patients who reported coronary artery disease, aortic or peripheral artery disease, acute coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction, stenting, or coronary artery bypass graft were classified as having vascular disease. Adjusted hazard ratios were obtained via Cox proportional-hazards models to quantify the association of vascular disease with selected endpoints. Comparative effectiveness analyses were restricted to patients enrolled from April 2013-September 2016 (when NOACs became widely available) and who were eligible for anticoagulation (CHA2DS2-VASc ≥2 excl. gender). To evaluate the safety and efficacy of different anticoagulation strategies in Vasc and nVasc patients, propensity score using an overlap weighting scheme was applied. Weights were applied to Cox proportional-hazards models to estimate the effects of OAC vs No OAC and NOAC vs VKA.
Results
Vasc patients were older (median (Q1; Q3): 72.0 (65.0; 79.0) vs 70.0 (62.0; 78.0) and more often male (62.0 vs 53.6%). Vasc patients had a higher rate of comorbidities including heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes. Vasc patients received less OAC (62.8 vs 68.3%). NOACs were less common compared with nVasc patients (23.8% vs 28.7%) but a similar proportion of VKAs was observed in both (39.0% vs 39.6%). Antiplatelet monotherapy was more common in Vasc (31%) than nVasc (18%) patients.
At 2-years, Vasc was associated with a higher risk of all-cause (HR [95% CI]: 1.30 [1.16–1.47]) and cardiovascular mortality (1.59 [1.28–1.97]). OACs significantly lowered the risk of all-cause mortality and stroke in nVasc patients (0.72 [0.63–0.82] and 0.64 [0.49–0.84], respectively), but not in nVasc patients. OACs led to a numerical increase in major bleeding in Vasc patients (1.32 [0.90–1.93]) and a significant increase in major bleeding in nVasc patients (1.40 [1.03–1.90]) (Figure 1). Compared with VKAs, NOACs did not significantly improve the risk of outcomes in nVasc patients. In Vasc patients however, NOACs significantly lowered the risk of all-cause mortality (0.74 [0.61–0.90]) and major bleeding (0.45 [0.29–0.70]) compared with VKAs (Figure 2).
Conclusion
AF patients with vascular disease have worse long-term outcomes than those without. They receive less often OAC, specifically NOAC, and more antiplatelet agents. The beneficial effects of NOAC over VKA are much more pronounced in patients with than in those without vascular disease.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by the Thrombosis Research Institute (London, UK).
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Affiliation(s)
- F W A Verheugt
- Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG) , Amsterdam , The Netherlands
| | - K A A Fox
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cardiovascular Science , Edinburgh , United Kingdom
| | - S Virdone
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - B J Gersh
- Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science , Rochester , United States of America
| | - S Haas
- Vascular Centre Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - K Pieper
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - G Kayani
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - A J Camm
- St George's University of London, Cardiology Clinical Academic Group Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
| | - A Parkhomenko
- National Scientific Center of Ukraine, MD Strazhesko Institute of Cardiology , Kiev , Ukraine
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute , London , United Kingdom
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Rohilla R, Kakkar AK, Divyashree K, Mohindra R, Suri V. Recombinant protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine-induced Guillain-Barré Syndrome in an adolescent: A case report. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 89:556-560. [PMID: 35856283 PMCID: PMC9350234 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune neurological disease of peripheral nerves, has been causally associated with COVID-19 vaccination in adults. However, no such report has been published so far in children. We describe a 13-year-old female child who presented to the emergency department with complaints of bilateral upper limb, lower limb and truncal weakness over 3 days following first dose of recombinant protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine (Corbevax). Clinical examination and nerve conduction studies showed pure motor axonal polyneuropathy with absent compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in all sampled nerves of upper and lower limbs which was consistent with the diagnosis of GBS after ruling out possible alternative aetiologies. A temporal association between first dose of protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine administered a day prior and symptom onset was noted. The causality assessment using the World Health Organization (WHO) tool for adverse event following immunization (AEFI) assessment indicated vaccine product-related reaction categorized as A1. The patient's clinical condition improved after seven sessions of plasmapheresis. The purpose of this report is to create awareness among health care professionals about COVID-19 vaccine-induced GBS in children as early diagnosis and management can be critical in avoiding complications and improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachna Rohilla
- Department of PharmacologyPostgraduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of PharmacologyPostgraduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Krishna Divyashree
- Department of Internal MedicinePostgraduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Ritin Mohindra
- Department of Internal MedicinePostgraduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Vikas Suri
- Department of Internal MedicinePostgraduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
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Raj JP, Gogtay NJ, Pandey A, Kakkar AK, Shafiq N, Mekala P, Pingali U, Raju AP, Mallayasamy S, Kshirsagar NA. Population Pharmacokinetics of Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate in Healthcare Workers, Given for Prophylaxis Against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in India. J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 62:1403-1411. [PMID: 35656997 PMCID: PMC9347612 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers were recommended hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) 400 mg twice a day on day 1, followed by 400 mg once weekly for the next 7 weeks, as prophylaxis against COVID-19. There was limited information on the population pharmacokinetics (popPK) of HCQ in an Indian setting when administered for prophylaxis against COVID-19, and hence this study was proposed. It was a multicentric prospective study conducted at 3 sites in India wherein HCWs who were already on HCQ prophylaxis, who were about to start prophylaxis or who had stopped the prophylaxis for any reason were enrolled. Each participant gave 2 to 6 blood samples at different time points and whole-blood HCQ concentrations were assayed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS). popPK analysis was performed using PUMAS 1.1.0. A total of N = 338 blood samples from N = 121 participants were included in the popPK analysis. A 2-compartment structural model with linear elimination was able to explain the observed data. Body weight was found to be a significant covariate influencing drug clearance. The final model was assessed using goodness-of-fit plots, a visual predictive check and a bootstrap, all of which confirmed that the model was appropriate. Simulations based on the current regimen showed that trough values were below the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 0.7 μmol against COVID-19. A new weight-based dosage regimen was proposed to maintain the trough concentration above the EC50 threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Pradeep Raj
- Department of Clinical PharmacologySethGS Medical College & KEM HospitalMumbaiIndia
| | | | - Avaneesh Pandey
- Department of PharmacologyPost Graduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of PharmacologyPost Graduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Department of PharmacologyPost Graduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchChandigarhIndia
| | - Padmaja Mekala
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology & TherapeuticsNizam's Institute of Medical SciencesHyderabadIndia
| | - Usharani Pingali
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology & TherapeuticsNizam's Institute of Medical SciencesHyderabadIndia
| | - Arun Prasath Raju
- Department of Pharmacy PracticeManipal College of Pharmaceutical SciencesManipal Academy of Higher EducationManipalIndia
| | - Surulivelrajan Mallayasamy
- Department of Pharmacy PracticeManipal College of Pharmaceutical SciencesManipal Academy of Higher EducationManipalIndia
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Kumar-M P, Mohindra R, Bhalla A, Shafiq N, Suri V, Kumari D, Pandey AK, Gupta A, Gupta PC, Patil A, Kakkar AK, Malhotra S. System for administering and monitoring hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis for COVID-19 in accordance with a national advisory: preliminary experience of a tertiary care institute in India. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2021; 19:1331-1339. [PMID: 33781166 PMCID: PMC8054489 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1909476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was one of the earliest drugs to be recommended for tackling the COVID-19 threat leading to its widespread usage. We provide preliminary findings of the system, established in a tertiary care academic center for the administration of HCQ prophylaxis to healthcare workers (HCW) based on Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advisory. METHODS A dedicated clinical pharmacology and internal medicine team screened for contraindications, administered informed consent, maintained compliance and monitored for adverse events. RESULTS Among the 194 HCWs screened for ruling out contraindications for prophylaxis, 9 were excluded and 185 were initiated on HCQ. A total of 55 adverse events were seen in 38 (20.5%) HCWs out of which 70.9%, 29.1% were mild and moderate & none were severe. Before the completion of therapy, a total of 23 participants discontinued. Change in QTc interval on day 2 was 5 (IQR: -3.75, 11) ms and the end of week 1 was 15 ms (IQR: 2, 18). Out of the 5 HCW who turned positive for COVID-19, 2 were on HCQ. CONCLUSION HCQ prophylaxis was found to be safe and well tolerated in HCW when administered after appropriate screening and with monitoring for adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar-M
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ritin Mohindra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Bhalla
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Vikas Suri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Deepa Kumari
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Avaneesh Kumar Pandey
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ankur Gupta
- Department of Cardiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Parul Chawla Gupta
- Department of Ophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Amol Patil
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Samir Malhotra
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
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9
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Chatterjee S, Hazra A, Chakraverty R, Shafiq N, Pathak A, Trivedi N, Sadasivam B, Kakkar AK, Jhaj R, Kaul R, Kshirsagar N. A multicentric knowledge-attitude-practice survey in the community about antimicrobial use and resistance in India. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2021; 115:785-791. [PMID: 33216125 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/traa124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To address the reasons for inappropriate use of antimicrobials, it is important to understand the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of all pertinent stakeholders. This multicentric survey is aimed at understanding the KAP quotients of the community regarding antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as such information is lacking in India. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted by face-to-face interviews across five centers in India using a validated, field-tested questionnaire incorporating KAP domain questions. Scores were appropriately assigned to the questions. RESULTS The mean (SD) age of the respondents was 35.2 (12.61) y and 62% had a graduate or higher level of education. The median (IQR) KAP scores were 10 (8-12), 5 (3-5) and 2 (2-3) out of a maximum of 18, 5 and 6, respectively. Higher educational and socioeconomic levels were associated with better attitude scores, but knowledge levels were comparable. Correlations between KAP scores were poor. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals that laypeople have appropriate knowledge and attitude regarding antibiotic use and AMR to some degree but there are important lacunae and practices are often wanting. These issues need to be addressed in sustained public awareness and motivation campaigns to improve the rational use of antibiotics in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suparna Chatterjee
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Avijit Hazra
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Raja Chakraverty
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Pathak
- Department of Pediatrics, R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India
| | - Niyati Trivedi
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Baroda, India
| | | | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ratinder Jhaj
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India
| | - Rajni Kaul
- Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Samir Malhotra
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Singh H, Chauhan P, Singh J, Saurabh S, Gautam CS, Kakkar AK. Concomitant use of dexamethasone and tetracyclines: a potential therapeutic option for the management of severe COVID-19 infection? Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2021; 14:315-322. [PMID: 33586566 PMCID: PMC7938652 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2021.1888714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The global coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a critical challenge to the research community as well as to the healthcare systems. Severe COVID-19 patients are at a higher risk of developing serious complications and mortality. There is a dire need for safe and effective pharmacotherapy for addressing unmet needs of these patients. Concomitant use of dexamethasone and tetracyclines, by virtue of their immunomodulatory and other relevant pharmacological properties, offers a potential strategy for synergy aimed at improving clinical outcomes.Areas covered: Here we review the potential benefits of combining dexamethasone and tetracyclines (minocycline or doxycycline) for the management of severe COVID-19 patients. We have critically examined the evidence obtained from in silico, experimental, and clinical research. We have also discussed the plausible mechanisms, advantages, and drawbacks of this proposed combination therapy for managing severe COVID-19.Expert opinion: The concomitant use of dexamethasone and one of the tetracyclines among severe COVID-19 patients offers several advantages in terms of additive immunomodulatory effects, cost-effectiveness, wide-availability, and well-known pharmacological properties including adverse-effect profile and contraindications. There is an urgent need to facilitate pilot studies followed by well-designed and adequately-powered multicentric clinical trials to generate conclusive evidence related to utility of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Prerna Chauhan
- Multidisciplinary Research Unit, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jasbir Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
- Department of Pharmacology, Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, India
| | - Saurabh Saurabh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India
| | - CS Gautam
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Kakkar AK, Shafiq N, Sahni N, Mohindra R, Kaur N, Gamad N, Panditrao A, Kondal D, Malhotra S, Kumar M P, Rohilla R, Bhattacharjee S, Kumar A, Bhandari RK, Pandey AK, Rather I, Mothsara C, Harish C, Belavagi D, Vishwas G. Assessment of Appropriateness of Antimicrobial Therapy in Resource-Constrained Settings: Development and Piloting of a Novel Tool-AmRAT. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:200. [PMID: 33669509 PMCID: PMC7923130 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10020200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing is considered to be the leading cause of high burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in resource-constrained lower- and middle-income countries. Under its global action plan, the World Health Organization has envisaged tackling the AMR threat through promotion of rational antibiotic use among prescribers. Given the lack of consensus definitions and other associated challenges, we sought to devise and validate an Antimicrobial Rationality Assessment Tool-AmRAT-for standardizing the assessment of appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing. A consensus algorithm was developed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of intensivists, internal medicine practitioners, clinical pharmacologists, and infectious disease experts. The tool was piloted by 10 raters belonging to three groups of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) personnel: Master of Pharmacology (M.Sc.) (n = 3, group A), Doctor of Medicine (MD) residents (n = 3, group B), and DM residents in clinical pharmacology (n = 4, group C) using retrospective patient data from 30 audit and feedback forms collected as part of an existing AMS program. Percentage agreement and the kappa (κ) coefficients were used to measure inter-rater agreements amongst themselves and with expert opinion. Sensitivity and specificity estimates were analyzed comparing their assessments against the gold standard. For the overall assessment of rationality, the mean percent agreement with experts was 76.7% for group A, 68.9% for group B, and 77.5% for group C. The kappa values indicated moderate agreement for all raters in group A (κ 0.47-0.57), and fair to moderate in group B (κ 0.22-0.46) as well as group C (κ 0.37-0.60). Sensitivity and specificity for the same were 80% and 68.6%, respectively. Though evaluated by raters with diverse educational background and variable AMS experience in this pilot study, our tool demonstrated high percent agreement and good sensitivity and specificity, assuring confidence in its utility for assessing appropriateness of antimicrobial prescriptions in resource-constrained healthcare environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Neeru Sahni
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Ritin Mohindra
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Navjot Kaur
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 110029, India;
| | - Nanda Gamad
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Aditi Panditrao
- Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda 151101, India;
| | - Dimple Kondal
- Public Health Foundation of India, Gurugram 122002, India;
| | - Samir Malhotra
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Praveen Kumar M
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Rachna Rohilla
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Samiksha Bhattacharjee
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Ankit Kumar
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Ritika Kondel Bhandari
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Avaneesh Kumar Pandey
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Imraan Rather
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Chakrant Mothsara
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Cvn Harish
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Devaraj Belavagi
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Gopal Vishwas
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India; (A.K.K.); (N.S.); (R.M.); (N.G.); (S.M.); (P.K.M); (R.R.); (S.B.); (A.K.); (R.K.B.); (A.K.P.); (I.R.); (C.M.); (C.H.); (D.B.); (G.V.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Singh H, Chauhan P, Kakkar AK. Hydroxychloroquine for the treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19: The journey so far and the road ahead. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 890:173717. [PMID: 33152333 PMCID: PMC7606072 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
As mortality and morbidity from novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue to mount worldwide, the scientific community as well as public health systems are under immense pressure to contain the pandemic as well as to develop effective medical countermeasures. Meanwhile, desperation has driven prescribers, researchers as well as administrators to recommend and try therapies supported by little or no reliable evidence. Recently, hydroxychloroquine-sulfate (HCQS) has got significant media and political attention for the treatment as well as prophylaxis of COVID-19 despite the lack of convincing and unequivocal data supporting its efficacy and safety in these patients. This has unfortunately, yet foreseeably led to several controversies and confusion among the medical fraternity, the patient community as well as the general public. Based on the available studies, many with high risk of bias, relatively small sample sizes, and abbreviated follow-ups, HCQS is unlikely to be of dramatic benefit in COVID-19 patients and yet has the potential to cause harm, particularly when used in combination with azithromycin or other medications in high risk individuals with comorbidities. Although definitive data from larger well-controlled randomized trials will be forthcoming in the future, and we may be able to identify specific patient subpopulations likely to benefit from hydroxychloroquine, till that time it will be prudent to prescribe it within investigational trial settings with close safety monitoring. Here we review the current evidence and developments related to the use of HCQS in COVID-19 patients and highlight the importance of risk-benefit assessment and rational use of HCQS during this devastating pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Singh
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, 160030, India
| | - Prerna Chauhan
- Dept. of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India.
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Mulchandani R, Lyngdoh T, Kakkar AK. Deciphering the COVID-19 cytokine storm: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Invest 2021; 51:e13429. [PMID: 33058143 PMCID: PMC7646004 DOI: 10.1111/eci.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The coronavirus pandemic has affected more than 20 million people so far. Elevated cytokines and suppressed immune responses have been hypothesized to set off a cytokine storm, contributing to ARDS, multiple-organ failure and, in the most severe cases, death. We aimed to quantify the differences in the circulating levels of major inflammatory and immunological markers between severe and nonsevere COVID-19 patients. METHODS Relevant studies were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS and preprint servers. Risk of bias was assessed for each study, using appropriate checklists. All studies were described qualitatively and a subset was included in the meta-analysis, using forest plots. RESULTS Based on 23 studies, mean cytokine levels were significantly higher (IL-6: MD, 19.55 pg/mL; CI, 14.80, 24.30; IL-8: MD, 19.18 pg/mL; CI, 2.94, 35.43; IL-10: MD, 3.66 pg/mL; CI, 2.41, 4.92; IL-2R: MD, 521.36 U/mL; CI, 87.15, 955.57; and TNF-alpha: MD, 1.11 pg/mL; CI, 0.07, 2.15) and T-lymphocyte levels were significantly lower (CD4+ T cells: MD, -165.28 cells/µL; CI, -207.58, -122.97; CD8+ T cells: MD, -106.51 cells/µL; CI, -128.59, -84.43) among severe cases as compared to nonsevere ones. There was heterogeneity across studies due to small sample sizes and nonuniformity in outcome assessment and varied definitions of disease severity. The overall quality of studies was sub-optimal. CONCLUSION Severe COVID-19 is characterized by significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced T lymphocytes. Well-designed and adequately powered prospective studies are needed to amplify the current evidence and provide definitive answers to dilemmas regarding timing and type of anti-COVID-19 therapy particularly in severe patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubina Mulchandani
- Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, India
| | - Tanica Lyngdoh
- Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, India
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Kumar-M P, Mahajan R, Kathirvel S, Hegde N, Kakkar AK, Patil AN. Developing a latent class analysis model to identify at-risk populations among people using medicine without prescription. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2020; 13:1411-1422. [PMID: 33054459 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2020.1836957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There exist limited strategies to address the issue of topical medication without prescription (MWP) use. MATERIAL AND METHODS A survey with pre-coded questionnaires was conducted with 210 patients following up in the dermatology clinic of a tertiary care center. The knowledge and attitude scores were regressed against demographics and exploratory practice questions, and latent class analysis was carried out to check any particular set of characteristics associated with study subpopulations. RESULTS Forty-seven (22%) participants were found using topical antimicrobial containing MWP. Participants with good knowledge score had 3.41 (95% C.I. = 1.68-7.33), 2.99 (1.37-6.73), and 2.49 (1.26-5.15) times association with opting of distance as the prime reason for availing topical MWP, habit of always reading the accompanying drug leaflet, and understanding that OTC topical medication may change the effect of the already prescribed drugs. Participants with good attitude score showed 2.76 (1.50-5.13) times association with limiting the use of steroid containing topical MWP. Latent class analysis identified one subset of participants having lesser knowledge and attitude scores and quoted financial reasons for the procurement of MWP; however, it was found to have greater income as compared to remaining participants. CONCLUSION The strategy to identify the target patient audience so as to deliver patient education intervention programs, regarding safe and effective use of MWP was built.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar-M
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India
| | - Rahul Mahajan
- Department of Dermatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India
| | - S Kathirvel
- Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India
| | - Naveen Hegde
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India
| | - Amol N Patil
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) , Chandigarh, India
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Chauhan P, Kakkar AK, Singh H, Gautam CS. Minocycline for the management of multiple sclerosis: repositioning potential, opportunities, and challenges. Expert Rev Neurother 2020; 21:35-43. [PMID: 33059513 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1838276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating inflammatory disorder with variable clinical and pathologic characteristics reflecting multiple underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Repositioning of existing drugs for the new indications offers several advantages including significant reduction in the cost and time of drug development and exemption from early phase clinical trials. Minocycline has been reported to exhibit immunomodulation in several pre-clinical and clinical studies through suppression of migratory inflammatory cells, modulation of peripheral immune response, and inhibition of microglial activation within the CNS. AREAS COVERED Here, the authors review the repositioning potential of minocycline for the treatment of MS along with appraisal of the evidence obtained from preclinical and clinical research. The authors also discuss the advantages and potential safety concerns related to the use of minocycline for the management of MS. EXPERT OPINION Minocycline offers several distinct advantages in terms of well-known safety profile, lower cost of therapy, widespread availability, and being available as an oral formulation. The authors call upon the public and private funders to facilitate well designed and adequately powered randomized clinical trials that can provide conclusive evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of minocycline in patients with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerna Chauhan
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences , New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India
| | - Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital , Chandigarh, India
| | - C S Gautam
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital , Chandigarh, India
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Mulchandani R, Lyngdoh T, Kakkar AK. Statins-induced hepatotoxicity: still more questions than answers. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2020; 19:1653-1654. [PMID: 33031710 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2020.1835045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rubina Mulchandani
- Indian Institute of Public Health -Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India , Gurgaon, India
| | - Tanica Lyngdoh
- Indian Institute of Public Health -Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India , Gurgaon, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India
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Mulchandani R, Lyngdoh T, Kakkar AK. Statin use and safety concerns: an overview of the past, present, and the future. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2020; 19:1011-1024. [PMID: 32668998 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2020.1796966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and contributes to significant morbidity and mortality associated with CAD and stroke worldwide. Statins are the most commonly prescribed drugs for the prevention and management of dyslipidemia globally. Although they provide immense therapeutic benefit, they are associated with clinically significant adverse effects, predominantly muscle, nerve, liver, and cognition-related besides new-onset diabetes. This has sparked various controversies, bringing to the fore, ambiguities that continue to exist in the scientific evidence, in relation to statin-associated harms. Therefore, it becomes essential to have a better understanding of safety issues related to statin use in various populations. AREAS COVERED This review describes the most common adverse effects of statins, examines available evidence and highlights the role of ethnicity, lipophilicity and other biological factors that could mediate and/or influence the relationship. MEDLINE was searched via PubMed to obtain relevant articles on dyslipidemia and statin safety. EXPERT OPINION The effectiveness of statins is presently unmatched. Further research is warranted to gain insights into the diverse pharmacological effects of statins in various population subgroups. This would assist prescribers in making better informed decisions. Specific treatment strategies for vulnerable groups can significantly attenuate harms, improve risk-benefit ratios, and ultimately enhance patient experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubina Mulchandani
- Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India , Gurgaon, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad - 201002, India
| | - Tanica Lyngdoh
- Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India , Gurgaon, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India
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Khanijo S, Kakkar AK, Kumar R, Patil AN, Bhusal G, Vishwas G, Arora G. Impact of pharmaceutical price controls on the cost of cardiovascular drugs: does essentiality matter? Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2020; 13:797-806. [DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2020.1783248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simran Khanijo
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rohit Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Amol Narayan Patil
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gomata Bhusal
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gopal Vishwas
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Geetika Arora
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly grown into a public health emergency that has placed the national health systems as well as scientific research communities under enormous pressures. Drug repurposing or repositioning is a well-known strategy that seeks to deploy existing licensed drugs for newer indications and provides the quickest possible transition from bench to clinics for unmet therapeutic needs. Given the current, urgent, and dire need for effective therapies against novel coronavirus-19, this approach is particularly appealing. AREAS COVERED Here, we review the significant anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antiviral properties of minocycline as potential mechanisms for efficacy against the novel coronavirus and highlight the promises and pitfalls of this approach. EXPERT OPINION As compared to other agents being investigated for COVID-19, minocycline offers distinct advantages in terms of potential efficacy in patients with life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and myocardial injury, well-known safety and interaction profile, relatively low costs, and widespread availability. We call upon public and private funders to facilitate urgent and rigorous research efforts before evidence-based recommendations for its widespread use can be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital , Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India
| | - Prerna Chauhan
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences , New Delhi, India
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanda Gamad
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Smita Pattanaik
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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23
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Kakkar AK, Shafiq N, Singh G, Ray P, Gautam V, Agarwal R, Muralidharan J, Arora P. Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Resource Constrained Environments: Understanding and Addressing the Need of the Systems. Front Public Health 2020; 8:140. [PMID: 32411647 PMCID: PMC7198767 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 threats to public health. The agency has formulated a global action plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance by reducing incidence of infectious diseases, increasing knowledge and awareness and promoting rational use of antimicrobials amongst other measures. While the core elements of successful antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are much publicized, there application in resource limited settings is fraught with several challenges. The key limiting factors include lack of clear political commitment, inadequate funding, overcrowded healthcare systems, lax legal and regulatory frameworks, non-uniform access to diagnostics, absence of electronic health record systems, limited knowledge and awareness especially with existence of multiple systems of medicines, issues with access to quality assured medicines, in-house pharmacies, and shortage of trained manpower. Since these implementation-impeding issues may differ considerably from those experienced in developed economies, intervention efforts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) need to address the context and focus on the root causes prevailing locally. In this article, we review the evidence highlighting the magnitude of these challenges and suggest feasible models with effective application. We also share the evidence from our center where we have contextualized the core elements to resource constrained settings. These domains include delivering prospective audit and feedback, prescriber education, development of evidence-based and implementable guidelines, and optimization of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis. However, there is a tremendous need for scaling up, extending outreach and honing these models while at the same time, addressing the existing strategic challenges that curtail the full potential of global antimicrobial stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gurpreet Singh
- Department of General Surgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Pallab Ray
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Vikas Gautam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ritesh Agarwal
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Jayashree Muralidharan
- Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Pankaj Arora
- Department of Hospital Administration, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
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24
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Mulder FI, van Es N, Kraaijpoel N, Di Nisio M, Carrier M, Duggal A, Gaddh M, Garcia D, Grosso MA, Kakkar AK, Mercuri MF, Middeldorp S, Royle G, Segers A, Shivakumar S, Verhamme P, Wang T, Weitz JI, Zhang G, Büller HR, Raskob G. Edoxaban for treatment of venous thromboembolism in patient groups with different types of cancer: Results from the Hokusai VTE Cancer study. Thromb Res 2019; 185:13-19. [PMID: 31733403 DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2019.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The safety and efficacy of edoxaban and dalteparin is unclear for several cancer groups. METHODS We evaluated the occurrence of the primary outcome in large cancer groups. The primary outcome was the composite of recurrent VTE or major bleeding over 12 months. RESULTS In patients with gastrointestinal cancer, the primary outcome occurred in 19.4% patients given edoxaban and in 15.0% given dalteparin (risk difference [RD], 4.4%; 95%-CI, -4.1% to 12.8%). The corresponding rates for edoxaban and dalteparin were 10.4% and 10.7% for lung cancer (RD, -0.3%; 95%-CI, -10.0% to 9.5%), 13.6% and 12.5% for urogenital cancer (RD, 1.1; 95%-CI, -10.1-12.4), 3.1% and 11.7% for breast cancer (RD, -8.6; 95%-CI, -19.3-2.2), 8.9% and 10.9% for hematological malignancies (RD, -2.0; 95%-CI, -13.1-9.1), and 10.4% and 17.4% for gynecological cancer (RD, -7.0; 95%-CI, -19.8-5.7). In the subgroup of gastrointestinal cancer, edoxaban was associated with a 3.5% lower absolute risk of recurrent VTE and a 7.9% higher risk of major bleeding. CONCLUSION Edoxaban has a similar risk-benefit ratio to dalteparin in most cancer groups. In those with gastrointestinal cancer, the lower risk of recurrent VTE and the advantages of oral therapy need to be balanced against the increased risk of major bleeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- F I Mulder
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - N van Es
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - N Kraaijpoel
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M Di Nisio
- Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - M Carrier
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - A Duggal
- Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA
| | - M Gaddh
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - D Garcia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - M A Grosso
- Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - M F Mercuri
- Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA
| | - S Middeldorp
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - G Royle
- Department of Hematology, Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - A Segers
- ITREAS, Academic Research Organization, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S Shivakumar
- Department of Hematology, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Canada
| | - P Verhamme
- Department of Vascular Medicine and Hemostasis, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - T Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, USA
| | - J I Weitz
- McMaster University, The Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Canada
| | - G Zhang
- Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA
| | - H R Büller
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - G Raskob
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, College of Public Health, Oklahoma City, USA
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Verstraete S, Virdone S, Bassand JP, Cools F, Pieper K, Kayani G, Kakkar AK. P4790Haematuria is not elevated in AF patients treated with NOACs versus VKAs: GARFIELD-AF study. Eur Heart J 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehz745.1166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Haematuria in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients taking oral anticoagulants (OACs) is usually viewed as less serious than intracranial and gastrointestinal bleeding. It is speculated that haematuria may result from renal excretion of active new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) causing a direct anticoagulating effect in the urinary tract. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) such as warfarin, on the other hand, undergo hepatic metabolism and may pose lower risk of haematuria. This large registry study investigated whether NOACs more likely cause haematuria compared with VKAs.
Purpose
To assess whether there is any difference in the incidence rate of haematuria in AF patients taking NOACs versus VKAs using data from the GARFIELD-AF registry.
Methods
GARFIELD-AF is an international prospective registry of nonvalvular AF patients with at least one additional risk factor for stroke, followed for at least 2 years. Macroscopic haematuria was identified by local investigators. Event rates were estimated by Poisson model. Adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for haematuria between treatment groups was calculated using overlap-weighted Cox model including a range of patient demographics and clinical parameters as variables. Only the first haematuria occurrence was considered. Patients who were not treated with either VKAs or NOACs were excluded.
Results
Among a registry population of 34,926 patients 24,079 were anticoagulated and 24,061 had available follow-up data. Baseline characteristics were evenly balanced between the VKAs and NOACs subgroups, except a somewhat higher proportion of VKA patients than NOAC patients received concomitant antiplatelet therapy. Rate of haematuria was similar between the two groups: VKAs, 115/12,307 cases (0.9% over study period; 0.55 [95% CI, 0.46–0.65] per 100 patient-years); NOACs, 119/11,754 cases (1.0% over study period; 0.49 [95% CI, 0.41–0.59] per 100 patient-years). Over 2 years cumulatively, adjusted HR for haematuria in NOAC group versus VKA was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.63–1.15; p=0.29). Most haematuria cases (approximately 94%) were minor or clinically relevant non-major bleeds, occurring at a similar rate in both subgroups. Major bleeds were very rare. No intervention was necessary in two thirds haematuria cases (65.2%); surgical procedures were performed in only 8.3%. No haematuria-related deaths were observed.
Incidence of haematuria
Conclusions
The incidence and severity of haematuria were not increased in AF patients taking NOACs versus VKAs. Haematuria may occur in approximately one in 100 AF patients on long-term OACs therapy and is usually non-serious.
Acknowledgement/Funding
The GARFIELD-AF registry is funded by an unrestricted research grant from Bayer AG.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S Virdone
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - J P Bassand
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - F Cools
- General Hospital Klina, Brasschaat, Belgium
| | - K Pieper
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - G Kayani
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
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Kakkar AK, Padhy BM, Sarangi SC, Gupta YK. Methodological Characteristics of Clinical Trials: Impact of Mandatory Trial Registration. J Pharm Pharm Sci 2019; 22:131-141. [PMID: 31013015 DOI: 10.18433/jpps30360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Numerous studies across multiple specialties have evaluated the impact of trial registration on quality of study reports and found significant improvements over several domains. However, the impact of mandatory trial registration on the quality of clinical trial protocols remains hitherto unexplored. METHODS We carried out a retrospective cohort study of clinical trial applications submitted to drug regulatory authority of India for initial review with the objective of comparing methodological characteristics of their protocols. Since trial registration was made mandatory in the country in June 2009, we selected two study periods as between January 2007 to May 2009 (Period I) and July 2009 to December 2011 (Period II). Seventy-five protocols were randomly selected using a computer-generated list for each study period, making a total of 150 protocols. Data on twelve key methodological characteristics were collected including clearly defined primary outcomes, randomization, blinding, use of control group, statistical methods, handling of withdrawals amongst others. RESULTS More than 3/4th of the trial applications in the two study periods were for new chemical entities and nearly 90% were pharmaceutical industry sponsored studies. Comparing the period before and after implementation of mandatory trial registration, description of clearly defined trial outcomes improved from nearly 42% to 80% (p<0.001), sample size justifications increased from 38% to 70% (p<0.001) and use of allocation concealment improved from 24% to 49% (p=0.001). Marked improvement was also noted for blinding, description of statistical methods and handling of withdrawals and dropouts. Remaining characteristics did not change significantly between the two study periods. The mean cumulative scores for the study protocols improved significantly from 7± 0.296 in the first period to 8.93± 0.346 (p<0.001) in the second period. CONCLUSIONS Our study found a significant improvement in the methodological quality characteristics of the protocols particularly in elements related to minimization of bias and statistical methods, which could be attributed to mandatory trial registration. Overall, the significant improvement was limited to global clinical trials, and room for improvement was noted for two quality characteristics - proportion of randomized studies and trials adequately describing the generation of allocation sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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27
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M PK, Patil A, Kakkar AK, Singh H. Decoding the Roadmap for Capacity Building of Pharmacology Academicians in Catering to Drug Information Center Services in a Developing Country. J Pharm Technol 2019; 35:146-154. [DOI: 10.1177/8755122519841364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Very few medical institutions are currently providing drug information center (DIC) services in low-resource countries. Objective: To assess whether academician pharmacologists of India are prepared to deliver countrywide services with regard to DICs. Methods: A cross-sectional knowledge attitude and practice study was planned in the form of an online survey. A hyperlink to the questionnaire was sent to academician pharmacologists via email, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Determinants associated with pharmacologists’ capacity and willingness in uplifting the DIC services were determined using logistic regression. Results: One hundred and thirteen academician pharmacologists responded. Participants who were working in limited functional DIC had 0.30 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09-0.98) times association with answering that referring to promotional drug literature is an inappropriate practice for DIC services to that of nonfunctional DIC participants. However, the same had 5.28 (95% CI = 1.74-16.00) times association with referring to literature for establishing and running the services more as compared with participants with nonfunctional DIC. Participants from fully functional DICs in their departments had 6.31 (95% CI = 1.92-20.70) times association with identifying that adverse event reporting is not the function of DIC as compared with participants from a non-functional DIC. Participants with more academic experience had 6.7 (95% CI = 1.36 to 32.93) times association with an identification of challenges as compared with that of less experience participants. Conclusion: Academician pharmacologists need to be trained in critical appraisal of published literature and guided on how to establish and maintain the services for hospital clinicians. Senior pharmacology academicians’ advice will be crucial in strengthening the roadmap for capacity building.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar M
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Amol Patil
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Mulchandani R, Kakkar AK. Reporting of adverse drug reactions in India: A review of the current scenario, obstacles and possible solutions. Int J Risk Saf Med 2019; 30:33-44. [PMID: 30175985 DOI: 10.3233/jrs-180025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacovigilance is a practice aimed to monitor drug safety in real life conditions and capture adverse drug events during the post marketing phase of drug's life cycle. But under reporting of adverse reactions is a major cause of concern and a threat to the pharmacovigilance systems. The present article looks into the major obstacles affecting the spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in India and the possible solutions. As per available scientific literature, the major impediments to ADR reporting are inadequate knowledge and awareness among health professionals, clinicians' perceptions towards reporting, problems with establishing reporting systems in hospitals and insufficient training to recognize ADRs. Measures to improve the situation include greater involvement of nurses, pharmacists as well as consumers in the reporting of ADRs, making the process simpler and faster through electronic means, introducing educational interventions and training programs for health care providers and spreading awareness about the reporting system amongst caregivers and receivers alike. Providing a momentum to the pharmacovigilance system and ensuring a robust reporting process is a challenge but proper planning, feasible solutions and focussed efforts can help bring about the change ensuring patient safety - the ultimate goal of pharmacovigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Kakkar AK, Shafiq N, Malhotra S. Ensuring access to ‘access’ antibiotics: an imminent consideration for sustainable antimicrobial stewardship in the developing world. Infect Dis (Lond) 2019; 51:395-398. [DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2019.1574978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Nusrat Shafiq
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Samir Malhotra
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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30
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Singh H, Rao SV, Kakkar AK, Singh J, Manohar HD. Posttrial Access to Medical Interventions: Intricacies, Challenges, and Solutions. Int J Appl Basic Med Res 2019; 9:3-8. [PMID: 30820412 PMCID: PMC6385540 DOI: 10.4103/ijabmr.ijabmr_218_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
With the recent increase in clinical trials, lower- and middle-income countries are preferred trial sites due to lower budgets and easy availability of potential participants. On trial completion, benefits to participants cease and it may affect their health adversely. Therefore, entitlement to posttrial access (PTA) of interventions is imperative. The Declaration of Helsinki and several other guidelines mandate that trial participants have access to experimentally proven efficacious drugs and that the research protocol should mention PTA provision mechanisms. A controversial question about PTA is whether, experimentally proven therapy should be made accessible to the control group as well as the community from which the participants were enrolled, especially if no satisfactory standard treatment exists. PTA has significant implications for various stakeholders - trial participants, investigators, sponsors, regulatory authorities, and governments and has been discussed and well addressed in recent guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical research. This article focuses on the PTA, guidelines related to PTA, disputes, different stakeholder perspectives, and practical difficulties in its implementation. It also looks at PTA from the Indian perspective and considers possible solutions to deal with the controversies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sunil Vishwas Rao
- Department of Pharmacology, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jagjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Hasitha Daina Manohar
- Department of Pharmacology, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Phulen Sarma
- Department of Pharmacology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Bikash Medhi
- Department of Pharmacology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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Mulchandani R, Lyngdoh T, Chakraborty P, Kakkar AK. Satisfaction With Statin Treatment Among Adult Coronary Artery Disease Patients: An Experience From a Resource-Constrained Setting. Heart Lung Circ 2018; 28:1788-1794. [PMID: 30704841 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2018.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Statins are the most widely prescribed hypolipidaemic drugs for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, but have been found to cause muscle and nerve related adverse effects which can affect patient satisfaction with treatment. Literature on treatment satisfaction among statin users, especially from resource-limited settings is inadequate. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the level of satisfaction with treatment among statin users and evaluate the relationship between adverse effects experienced by patients and their satisfaction with the medication. METHODS This study included 300 adult CAD patients visiting the cardiology department of a tertiary care hospital in the northern region of India, who were prescribed statins for their diagnoses. An interviewer administered, validated and standardised Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (version 1.4) was used for data collection. RESULTS Around three quarters of the population reported being overall satisfied with their medication. Mean scores were calculated for Effectiveness, Convenience, Side-Effects and Global Satisfaction. The patients reported high scores (above 60%) for all domains. Those experiencing any adverse effect were found to be more likely to report lower effectiveness. Additionally, medication effectiveness showed a positive correlation with overall treatment satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that treatment satisfaction is critical to gauge patient experiences with the treatment which can impact medication adherence and compliance. It's a crucial measure especially among CAD and other chronic disease patients since greater satisfaction can improve clinical outcomes. More research is warranted to better understand the relationship between medication effectiveness and treatment satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Praloy Chakraborty
- Department of Cardiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
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Camm AJ, Cools F, Virdone S, Bassand JP, Fitzmaurice DA, Fox KAA, Goldhaber SZ, Goto S, Haas S, Mantovani LG, Pieper K, Turpie AGG, Verheugt FWA, Kakkar AK. 1354The effect of non-recommended dosing of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) on 1-year mortality in patients with newly diagnosed AF? Results from the GARFIELD-AF registry. Eur Heart J 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy565.1354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A J Camm
- St. George's University of London and Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - F Cools
- AZ KLINA Cardiology, Brasschaat, Belgium
| | - S Virdone
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - J.-P Bassand
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, UK and University of Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - D A Fitzmaurice
- University of Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - K A A Fox
- University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - S Z Goldhaber
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America
| | - S Goto
- Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - S Haas
- Formerly Department of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - K Pieper
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA & Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - F W A Verheugt
- Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute and University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Fox KAA, Berchuck S, Camm AJ, Bassand JP, Fitzmaurice DA, Gersh BJ, Goldhaber SZ, Goto S, Haas S, Misselwitz F, Pieper K, Turpie AGG, Verheugt FWA, Kakkar AK. P2895Evaluation of the effect of oral anticoagulants on all-cause mortality within 3 months of the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation: results from the GARFIELD-AF prospective registry. Eur Heart J 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy565.p2895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K A A Fox
- University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - S Berchuck
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, United States of America
| | - A J Camm
- St. George's University of London and Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - J.-P Bassand
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, UK & University of Besançon, Besancon, France
| | - D A Fitzmaurice
- University of Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - B J Gersh
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States of America
| | - S Z Goldhaber
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America
| | - S Goto
- Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - S Haas
- Formerly Department of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - K Pieper
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA & Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - F W A Verheugt
- Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute & University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Cozzolino P, Ambrosio G, Bassand JP, Cate HT, Cools F, Darius H, Fitzmaurice DA, Haas S, Leheuzey JY, Agnelli G, Rosenkvist M, Stepinska J, Vinolas X, Mantovani LG, Kakkar AK. P2889The economic burden attributable to atrial fibrillation in nine European countries: perspectives from the GARFIELD-AF registry. Eur Heart J 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy565.p2889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - G Ambrosio
- University of Perugia School of Medicine, Perugia, Italy
| | - J.-P Bassand
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, UK & University of Besançon, Besancon, France
| | - H T Cate
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - F Cools
- AZ KLINA Cardiology, Brasschaat, Belgium
| | - H Darius
- Vivantes Neukoelln Medical Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - D A Fitzmaurice
- University of Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - S Haas
- Formerly Department of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - J.-Y Leheuzey
- Georges Pompidou Hospital, René Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - G Agnelli
- Azienda Ospedaliera di Perugia Medicina Interna e Vascolare Stroke Unit, Perugia, Italy
| | - M Rosenkvist
- Södersjukhuset, vo Kardiologi Karolinska Institutet, Institutionen för klinisk forskning och utb, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - X Vinolas
- Hospital Santa Creu y San Pau Servicio de Cardiologia, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - A K Kakkar
- Thrombosis Research Institute and University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Statins are the most widely prescribed class of drugs for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and yet literature on the prevalence of statin related adverse effects (AEs) and gaps in patient education is quite limited especially in resource-limited settings of developing world. OBJECTIVES The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of myopathy (muscle ailments) and other statin associated adverse effects among CAD patients on statin therapy. The study also aimed to assess patient perceptions, attitudes and awareness concerning the use of statins. METHODS It was a cross-sectional study conducted among 300 adult CAD patients visiting the out-patient department of a tertiary care hospital in North India, who were receiving statins for their diagnosis. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data on statin use among patients and adverse effects experienced. RESULTS Myopathy or muscle related ailments like muscle pain, cramps and muscle weakness were the most prevalent (32, 34 and 47%, respectively), followed by numbness, tingling and burning in the extremities (31%). Joint pain and cognitive impairments were seen in nearly 20% of the patients. The level of awareness among participants regarding the use of statins was sub-optimal. Lack of knowledge and under-reporting of adverse effects were major concerns. CONCLUSION The study shows that a considerable proportion of statin users experience adverse effects and knowledge and awareness amongst patients is inadequate. Awareness programmes and counselling for patients, sensitisation of healthcare professionals and better screening systems for monitoring AEs can help improve the scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Praloy Chakraborty
- Department of Cardiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Siegal DM, Verbrugge F, Martin AC, Fiarresga A, Camm J, Pieper K, Fox KAA, Bassand JP, Haas S, Goldhaber SZ, Kakkar AK. P3848Why do clinicians withhold anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation and CHA2DS2VASc score of 2 or higher? Eur Heart J 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy563.p3848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D M Siegal
- McMaster University, Dept. of Medicine, Hamilton, Canada
| | - F Verbrugge
- University Hospitals (UZ) Leuven, Dept. of Cardiovascular Medicine, Leuven, Belgium
| | - A C Martin
- Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Paris, France
| | - A Fiarresga
- Hospital de Santa Marta, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - J Camm
- St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - K Pieper
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, United States of America
| | - K A A Fox
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - J P Bassand
- University of Besançon, Dept. of Cardiology, Besançon, France
| | - S Haas
- Technical University of Munich, Dept. of Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | - S Z Goldhaber
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dept. of Medicine, Boston, United States of America
| | - A K Kakkar
- University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Schirripa V, Radic P, Pieper K, Illingworth L, Le Heuzey JY, Jansky P, Fitzmaurice DA, Connolly S, Cappato R, Camm J, Atar D, Kakkar AK. 360Role of cardioversion in the management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation: insights from the GARFIELD-AF registry. Eur Heart J 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy564.360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- V Schirripa
- G. B. Grassi Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Rome, Italy
| | - P Radic
- University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - K Pieper
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, United States of America
| | - L Illingworth
- Thrombosis Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - J Y Le Heuzey
- Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Descartes, Department of Cardiology, Paris, France
| | - P Jansky
- Motol University Hospital, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - D A Fitzmaurice
- University of Warwick, Cardiorespiratory Primary Care, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - S Connolly
- McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Hamilton, Canada
| | - R Cappato
- Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology Research Center, Milan, Italy
| | - J Camm
- St George's University of London, Department of Clinical Cardiology, London, United Kingdom
| | - D Atar
- Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval and University of Oslo, Division of Medicine, Oslo, Norway
| | - A K Kakkar
- University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Verbrugge FH, Martin AC, Siegal D, Fiarresga A, Pieper K, Camm J, Fox KAA, Bassand JP, Haas S, Goldhaber SZ, Kakkar AK. P4800Why do clinicians prescribe oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation despite a low CHA2DS2-VASc score? Eur Heart J 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy563.p4800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- F H Verbrugge
- University Hospitals (UZ) Leuven, Cardiovascular Diseases, Leuven, Belgium
| | - A.-C Martin
- Percy Military Hospital, Cardiologie, Clamart, France
| | - D Siegal
- Population Health Research Institute, Medicine, Hamilton, Canada
| | - A Fiarresga
- Hospital de Santa Marta, Cardiology, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - K Pieper
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, United States of America
| | - J Camm
- St George's University of London, Cardiology, London, United Kingdom
| | - K A A Fox
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - J.-P Bassand
- University of Besançon, Cardiology, Besançon, France
| | - S Haas
- Technical University of Munich, Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | - S Z Goldhaber
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Medicine, Boston, United States of America
| | - A K Kakkar
- University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Kakkar AK, Singh H, Medhi B. Old wines in new bottles: Repurposing opportunities for Parkinson's disease. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 830:115-127. [PMID: 29689247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic progressive neurological disorder characterized by accumulation of Lewy bodies and profound loss of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons. PD symptomatology is now recognized to include both cardinal motor as well as clinically significant non-motor symptoms. Despite intensive research, the current understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in PD is limited and has hampered the development of novel symptomatic and disease modifying therapies. The currently available treatment options are only partially or transiently effective and fail to restore the lost dopaminergic neurons or retard disease progression. Given the escalating drug development costs, lengthening timelines and declining R&D efficiency, industry and academia are increasingly focusing on ways to repurpose existing molecules as an accelerated route for drug discovery. The field of PD therapeutics is witnessing vigorous repurposing activity supported by big data analytics, computational models, and high-throughput drug screening systems. Here we review the mechanisms, efficacy, and safety of several emerging drugs currently aspiring to be repositioned for PD pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
| | - Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College and Hospital Chandigarh, India
| | - Bikash Medhi
- Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India
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Goyal A, Singh H, Sehgal VK, Jayanthi CR, Munshi R, Bairy KL, Kumar R, Kaushal S, Kakkar AK, Ambwani S, Goyal C, Mazumdar G, Adhikari A, Das N, Stephy DJ, Thangaraju P, Dhasmana DC, Rehman SU, Chakrabarti A, Bhandare B, Badyal DK, Kaur I, Chandrashekar K, Singh J, Dhamija P, Sarangi SC, Gupta YK. Impact of regulatory spin of pioglitazone on prescription of antidiabetic drugs among physicians in India: A multicentre questionnaire-based observational study. Indian J Med Res 2018; 146:468-475. [PMID: 29434060 PMCID: PMC5819028 DOI: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_1416_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & objectives: Pioglitazone was suspended for manufacture and sale by the Indian drug regulator in June 2013 due to its association with urinary bladder carcinoma, which was revoked within a short period (July 2013). The present questionnaire-based nationwide study was conducted to assess its impact on prescribing behaviour of physicians in India. Methods: Between December 2013 and March 2014, a validated questionnaire was administered to physicians practicing diabetes across 25 centres in India. Seven hundred and forty questionnaires fulfilling the minimum quality criteria were included in the final analysis. Results: Four hundred and sixteen (56.2%) physicians prescribed pioglitazone. Of these, 281 used it in less than the recommended dose of 15 mg/day. Most physicians (94.3%) were aware of recent regulatory events. However, only 333 (44.8%) changed their prescribing pattern. Seventeen of the 416 (4.1%) physicians who prescribed pioglitazone admitted having come across at least one type 2 diabetes mellitus patient (T2DM) who had urinary bladder carcinoma, and of these 13 said that it was in patients who took pioglitazone for a duration of more than two years. Only 7.8 per cent of physicians (n=58) categorically advocated banning pioglitazone, and the rest opined for its continuation or generating more evidence before decision could be taken regarding its use in T2DM. Interpretation & conclusions: Majority of the physicians though were aware of the regulatory changes with regard to pioglitazone, but their prescribing patterns were not changed for this drug. However, it was being used at lower than the recommended dose. There is a need for generating more evidence through improved pharmacovigilance activities and large-scale population-based prospective studies regarding the safety issues of pioglitazone, so as to make effectual risk-benefit analysis for its continual use in T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Goyal
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - C R Jayanthi
- Department of Pharmacology, Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Renuka Munshi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, TN Medical College & BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | - K Laxminarayana Bairy
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal Centre for Clinical Research, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar, India
| | - Sandeep Kaushal
- Department of Pharmacology, Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India
| | - Sneha Ambwani
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, India
| | - Chhaya Goyal
- Department of Pharmacology, SAIMS Medical College & PG Institute, Indore, India
| | | | - Anjan Adhikari
- Department of Pharmacology, R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, India
| | - Nina Das
- Department of Pharmacology, NRS Medical College, Kolkata, India
| | - Divya John Stephy
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, India
| | - Pugazhenthan Thangaraju
- Department of Pharmacology, Central Leprosy Teaching & Research Institute, Chengalpattu, India
| | - D C Dhasmana
- Department of Pharmacology, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India
| | - Shakil U Rehman
- Department of Pharmacology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, India
| | - Amit Chakrabarti
- Department of Pharmacology, Regional Occupational Health Centre, National Institute of Occupational Health, Kolkata, India
| | - Basavaraj Bhandare
- Department of Pharmacology, Rajarajeswari Medical College & Hospital, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Inderpal Kaur
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College. Amritsar, India
| | - K Chandrashekar
- Department of Pharmacology, Chettinad Hospital & Research Institute, Chennai, India
| | - Jagjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Puneet Dhamija
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India
| | | | - Yogendra Kumar Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Sarangi SC, Kakkar AK, Kumar R, Gupta YK. Effect of lamotrigine, levetiracetam & topiramate on neurobehavioural parameters & oxidative stress in comparison with valproate in rats. Indian J Med Res 2017; 144:104-111. [PMID: 27834333 PMCID: PMC5116881 DOI: 10.4103/0971-5916.193296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background & objectives: Though newer antiepileptic drugs are considered safer than conventional antiepileptics, the effects of lamotrigine, levetiracetam and topiramate on neurobehavioural functions are yet to be established. This study evaluated neurobehavioural parameters and oxidative stress markers in brain tissue of rats treated with lamotrigine, levetiracetam and topiramate compared to sodium valproate. Methods: Five groups of male Wistar rats were treated respectively with normal saline (control), sodium valproate (370 mg/kg), lamotrigine (50 mg/kg), levetiracetam (310 mg/kg) and topiramate (100 mg/kg) for 45 days. Neurobehavioural parameters were assessed using elevated plus maze (EPM), actophotometer, rotarod, passive avoidance and Morris water maze (MWM) at baseline and at the end of treatment. Oxidative stress parameters [malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] were estimated in rat brain at the end of treatment. Results: Valproate and lamotrigine showed no significant effect on learning and memory in passive avoidance and MWM tests. However, levetiracetam and topiramate reduced retention memory significantly as compared to control (P<0.01) and lamotrigine (P<0.05) groups. Performances on EPM, rotarod and actophotometer were not significantly different between the groups. In comparison to control group, MDA was higher in the levetiracetam and topiramate (360.9 and 345.9 nmol/g of homogenized brain tissue, respectively) groups. GSH and SOD activity were significantly reduced by valproate and levetiracetam treatment. Lamotrigine did not induce significant oxidative stress. Interpretation & conclusions: Long-term and therapeutic dose treatment with levetiracetam and topiramate significantly impaired learning and memory, which was not seen with valproate and lamotrigine in rats. Levetiracetam, topiramate and valproate augmented oxidative stress, whereas lamotrigine has little effect on it. These antiepileptic drugs are used in clinical practice, hence pharmacovigilance studies are required to evaluate their safety profile.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Department of Pharmacology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Ritesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Yogendra Kumar Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Sarangi SC, Tripathi M, Kakkar AK, Gupta YK. Comparison of body composition in persons with epilepsy on conventional & new antiepileptic drugs. Indian J Med Res 2017; 143:323-30. [PMID: 27241646 PMCID: PMC4892079 DOI: 10.4103/0971-5916.182623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Certain antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as valproic acid (VPA) are known to affect body weight, and lipid profile. However, evidences regarding effects of AEDs on the body composition are deficient. This cross-sectional study compared the body composition and lipid profile among patients with epilepsy on newer and conventional AEDs. METHODS The patients with epilepsy (n=109) on treatment with conventional and newer AEDs (levetiracetam, lamotrigine and clobazam) for > 6 months were enrolled. Of these, 70 were on monotherapy: levetiracetam (n=12), VPA (n=16), carbamazepine (n=20) and phenytoin (n=22) and the remaining on polytherapy. Their body composition [body fat mass, lean dry mass (LDM), total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) was estimated and biochemical parameters were assessed. RESULTS Levetiracetam group had no significant difference with VPA, carbamazepine, phenytoin and control groups, except low LDM (17.8±2.4) than VPA groups (20.2±2.7, p<0.05). In comparison with control, AEDs monotherapy groups had no significant difference, except higher LDM and ECW in VPA group. Among groups based on conventional and newer AEDs, there was no significant difference in body composition parameters except for higher LDM (as % of BW) in conventional AEDs only treated group than control (p<0.01). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS The alterations observed in body composition with valproic acid in contrast to other AEDs like levetiracetam, carbamazepine and phenytoin could affect treatment response in epilepsy especially in subjects with already altered body composition status like obese and thin frail patients, which needs to be established by prospective studies (CTRI/2013/05/003701).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhir Chandra Sarangi
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Manjari Tripathi
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Department of Pharmacology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Yogendra Kumar Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Dahiya
- Department of Community Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the chronic inflammatory disorder of gastrointestinal tract consisting of two subtypes: Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. IBD occurs due to infiltration of leukocytes in intestinal mucosa and derangements in intestinal barrier function. One of the most important steps in pathogenesis of IBD is the interactions between integrins on the surface of leukocyte. The α4β7 integrin expressing T-cell is an important leukocyte involved in pathogenesis and represents a new drug target for the treatment of IBD. Vedolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody, which acts against α4β7 integrin heterodimer and blocks the interaction of α4β7 integrin with MAdCAM-1. It prevents leukocyte binding to endothelial surface and its extravasation into affected tissue. The efficacy and safety of the vedolizumab have been established in many clinical studies. It has shown promising results in various clinical studies where a greater percentage of patients as compared to a placebo achieved and maintained clinical response, clinical remission, and corticosteroid-free clinical remission. Vedolizumab has been shown to be well tolerated with slightly higher risk of infections, headache, naspharyngitis as compared to placebo. This review focuses on the potential role of vedolizumab for the treatment of IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Nipunjot Grewal
- Department of Pharmacology, Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Ekta Arora
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Harish Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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Francis CW, Kessler CM, Goldhaber SZ, Kovacs MJ, Monreal M, Huisman MV, Bergqvist D, Turpie AG, Ortel TL, Spyropoulos AC, Pabinger I, Kakkar AK. Treatment of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients with dalteparin for up to 12 months: the DALTECAN Study. J Thromb Haemost 2015; 13:1028-35. [PMID: 25827941 DOI: 10.1111/jth.12923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 03/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer has a high rate of recurrence and bleeding complications. Guidelines recommend low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for at least 3-6 months and possibly indefinitely for patients with active malignancy. There are, however, few data supporting treatment with LMWH beyond 6 months. The primary aim of the DALTECAN study (NCT00942968) was to determine the safety of dalteparin between 6 and 12 months in cancer-associated VTE. METHODS Patients with active cancer and newly diagnosed VTE were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter study and received subcutaneous dalteparin for 12 months. The rates of bleeding and recurrent VTE were evaluated at months 1, 2-6 and 7-12. FINDINGS Of 334 patients enrolled, 185 and 109 completed 6 and 12 months of therapy; 49.1% had deep vein thrombosis (DVT); 38.9% had pulmonary embolism (PE); and 12.0% had both on presentation. The overall frequency of major bleeding was 10.2% (34/334). Major bleeding occurred in 3.6% (12/334) in the first month, and 1.1% (14/1237) and 0.7% (8/1086) per patient-month during months 2-6 and 7-12, respectively. Recurrent VTE occurred in 11.1% (37/334); the incidence rate was 5.7% (19/334) for month 1, 3.4% (10/296) during months 2-6, and 4.1% (8/194) during months 7-12. One hundred and sixteen patients died, four due to recurrent VTE and two due to bleeding. CONCLUSION Major bleeding was less frequent during dalteparin therapy beyond 6 months. The risk of developing major bleeding complications or VTE recurrence was greatest in the first month of therapy and lower over the subsequent 11 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- C W Francis
- University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - C M Kessler
- Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - M J Kovacs
- London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - M Monreal
- Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Carretera de Canyet, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M V Huisman
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - A G Turpie
- Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - T L Ortel
- Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - I Pabinger
- Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
| | - A K Kakkar
- Barts and The London Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK
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Kakkar AK, Dahiya N. Management of Parkinson׳s disease: Current and future pharmacotherapy. Eur J Pharmacol 2015; 750:74-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Abstract
Obesity is a growing epidemic and a major contributor to the global burden of disease. Obesity strains the healthcare systems and has profound economic and psychosocial consequences. Historically, pharmacotherapy for obesity has witnessed the rise and fall of several promising drug candidates that had to be eventually withdrawn due to unacceptable safety concerns. Currently four drugs are approved for chronic weight management in obese adults: orlistat, lorcaserin, phentermine/topiramate extended release and naltrexone/bupropion extended release. While lorcaserin and phentermine/topiramate were approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, after a gap of 13 years following the licensing of orlistat, naltrexone/bupropion has been recently approved in 2014. This review provides a brief overview of these current therapeutic interventions available for management of obesity along with the evidence of their safety and efficacy. Additionally, several novel monotherapies as well as combination products are undergoing evaluation in various stages of clinical development. These therapies if proven successful will strengthen the existing armamentarium of antiobesity drugs and will be critical to combat the global public health crisis of obesity and its associated co-morbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Kakkar
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
| | - Neha Dahiya
- Dept. of Community Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
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Kakkar AK, Dahiya N. Bedaquiline for the treatment of resistant tuberculosis: Promises and pitfalls. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2014; 94:357-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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