Repurposing empagliflozin in individuals with glycogen storage disease Ib: A value-based healthcare approach and systematic benefit-risk assessment

Off-label repurposing of empagliflozin allows pathomechanism-based treatment of neutropenia/neutrophil-dysfunction in glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSDIb). From a value-based healthcare (VBHC) perspective, we here retrospectively studied patient-reported, clinical and pharmacoeconomic outcomes in 11 GSDIb individuals before and under empagliflozin at two centers (the Netherlands [NL], Austria [AT]), including a budget impact analysis, sensitivity-analysis, and systematic benefit-risk assessment. Under empagliflozin, all GSDIb individuals reported improved quality-of-life-scores. Neutrophil dysfunction related symptoms allowed either granulocyte colony-stimulating factor cessation or tapering. Calculated cost savings per patient per year ranged between € 6482-14 190 (NL) and € 1281-41 231 (AT). The budget impact analysis estimated annual total cost savings ranging between € 75 062-225 716 (NL) and € 37 697-231 790 (AT), based on conservative assumptions. The systematic benefit-risk assessment was favorable. From a VBHC perspective, empagliflozin treatment in GSDIb improved personal and clinical outcomes while saving costs, thereby creating value at multiple pillars. We emphasize the importance to reimburse empagliflozin for GSDIb individuals, further supported by the favorable systematic benefit-risk assessment. These observations in similar directions in two countries/health care systems strongly suggest that our findings can be extrapolated to other geographical areas and health care systems.

Main pulmonary artery diameter in combination with cardiovascular biomarkers: new possibilities to identify pulmonary hypertension in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis

BACKGROUND

Echocardiography is currently the noninvasive method of choice to screen patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) for pulmonary hypertension (PH) by estimating systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP). However, radiological options are also available by determining the main pulmonary artery (MPA) diameter in the setting of CT angiography. The aim of the present study was to compare cardiovascular biomarkers with the MPA diameter to allow other ways of detecting PH in patients with severe AS.

METHODS

One hundred ninety-four patients with severe AS undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) were included in this study and were divided into two groups based on the CT-angiographically determined MPA diameter. In accordance with ESC guidelines, a cut-off value of 29 mm was determined in this study, with the absence of PH defined by an MPA diameter <29 mm (N79/194) and the presence of PH defined by an MPA diameter ≥29 mm (115/194). Immediately before interventional aortic valve replacement, blood samples were drawn from the subjects and relevant cardiovascular biomarkers such as BNP, cTnI, GDF-15, H-FABP, IGF-BP2 and suPAR were assessed.

RESULTS

Patients with an MPA diameter ≥29 mm had significantly higher BNP (P=0.004), cTnI (P=0.039) and H-FABP (P=0.015) plasma levels, whereas GDF-15 (P=0.140), IGF-BP2 (P=0.088) and suPAR (P=0.140) showed no significant differences. In addition, cut-off values were calculated to predict an MPA diameter ≥29 mm. Significant results were shown with 1634.00 pg/mL for BNP (P=0.004), with 16.50 pg/mL for cTnI (P=0.039) and with 1.16 ng/mL for H-FABP (P=0.016). In a combined biomarker analysis, the 2-way combination of BNP and IGF-BP2 (AUC 0.671; 95%CI 0.538-0.805; P=0.023) and the 3-way combination of BNP, H-FABP and IGF-BP2 (AUC 0.685; 95%CI 0.551-0.818; P=0.015) showed the best results. Biomarker follow-up at 3 and 12 months after TAVR did not require additional information gain. Regarding 1-year survival, no significant difference could be detected between patients with an MPA diameter<29 mm compared to patients with ≥29 mm (log-rank test: P=0.262).

CONCLUSIONS

The MPA diameter remains a controversial parameter for the detection of PH in patients with severe AS. Standing on its own, this non-invasive parameter may not be precise enough to detect PH accurately. Combining this parameter with several biomarkers did not provide significant additional information.