Clinical outcomes with metformin use in diabetic patients with compensated cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect of metformin in patients with cirrhosis, but no improvement in liver histology.

AIM

To investigate the impact of metformin on mortality and hepatic decompensation in people with diabetes with compensated cirrhosis.

METHODS

Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to February 2023 for studies reporting results regarding the impact of metformin on all-cause mortality and hepatic decompensation in people with diabetes with compensated cirrhosis. The risk of bias was assessed by ROBINS-I Cochrane tool. R software 4.3.1 was used for all analyses.

RESULTS

Six observational studies were included in the final analysis. Metformin use was associated with reduced all-cause mortality or liver transplantation [hazard ratio (HR): 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.82], while no benefit was shown in the prevention of hepatic decompensation (HR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.77-1.22). In the subgroup analysis, metformin use was associated with reduced all-cause mortality or liver transplantation (HR: 0.50; 95% CI 0.38-0.65) in patients with metabolic-associated steatohepatitis cirrhosis, while two studies reported no survival benefit in patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C (HR: 0.39; 95% CI 0.12-1.20).

CONCLUSION

Metformin use is associated with reduced all-cause mortality, but not with the prevention of hepatic decompensation in people with diabetes with compensated cirrhosis. The mortality benefit is most likely driven by better diabetes and cardiovascular health control.

Drug-Induced Liver Injury in the Elderly: Consensus Statements and Recommendations from the IQ-DILI Initiative

The elderly demographic is the fastest-growing segment of the world's population and is projected to exceed 1.5 billion people by 2050. With multimorbidity, polypharmacy, susceptibility to drug-drug interactions, and frailty as distinct risk factors, elderly patients are especially vulnerable to developing potentially life-threatening safety events such as serious forms of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). It has been a longstanding shortcoming that elderly individuals are often a vulnerable population underrepresented in clinical trials. As such, an improved understanding of DILI in the elderly is a high-priority, unmet need. This challenge is underscored by recent documents put forward by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) that encourage data collection in the elderly and recommend improved practices that will facilitate a more inclusive approach. To establish what is already known about DILI in the elderly and pinpoint key gaps of knowledge in this arena, a working definition of "elderly" is required that accounts for both chronologic and biologic ages and varying states of frailty. In addition, it is critical to characterize the biological role of aging on liver function, as well as the different epidemiological factors such as polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing that are common practices. While data may not show that elderly people are more susceptible to DILI, DILI due to specific drugs might be more common in this population. Improved characterization of DILI in the elderly may enhance diagnostic and prognostic capabilities and improve the way in which liver safety is monitored during clinical trials. This summary of the published literature provides a framework to understand and evaluate the risk of DILI in the elderly. Consensus statements and recommendations can help to optimize medical care and catalyze collaborations between academic clinicians, drug manufacturers, and regulatory scientists to enable the generation of high-quality research data relevant to the elderly population.

Consensus Guidelines: Best Practices for the Prevention, Detection and Management of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation in Clinical Trials with Immunosuppressive/Immunomodulatory Therapy

Hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) during and after immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory (IS/IM) therapy is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, including hepatic decompensation and acute liver failure. The risk of HBVr with IS/IM has been heterogeneous and often unpredictable. As a result, patients with active or previous HBV infection are often excluded from clinical drug trials of such agents. Thorough screening for HBV infection, antiviral prophylaxis, and careful monitoring for HBVr have proven to be effective in reducing the rate of HBVr and improving its outcome in the context of IS/IM. Therefore, safe enrollment and management of certain HBV-marker-positive patients in clinical trials is possible. There is a great, unmet need for consistent, evidence-based recommendations for best practices pertaining to enrollment, monitoring, and management of HBVr in clinical trial participants receiving IS/IM. The aim of these consensus guidelines is to provide a step-by-step blueprint to safely enroll, monitor and manage the patient with inactive chronic or resolved HBV in IS/IM clinical trials from the time of screening through to the end of post-treatment follow up.

Liver biopsy for assessment of suspected drug-induced liver injury in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis clinical trials: Expert consensus from the Liver Forum

BACKGROUND

Causality assessment of suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) during metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) clinical trials can be challenging, and liver biopsies are not routinely performed as part of this evaluation. While the field is moving away from liver biopsy as a diagnostic and prognostic tool, information not identified by non-invasive testing may be provided on histology.

AIM

To address the appropriate utilisation of liver biopsy as part of DILI causality assessment in this setting.

METHODS

From 2020 to 2022, the Liver Forum convened a series of webinars on issues pertaining to liver biopsy during MASH trials. The Histology Working Group was formed to generate a series of consensus documents addressing these challenges. This manuscript focuses on liver biopsy as part of DILI causality assessment.

RESULTS

Expert opinion, guidance and recommendations on the role of liver biopsy as part of causality assessment of suspected DILI occurring during clinical trials for a drug(s) being developed for MASH are provided. Lessons learned from prior MASH programs are reviewed and gaps identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are no pathognomonic features, histologic evaluation of suspected DILI during MASH clinical trials may alter patient management, define the pattern and severity of injury, detect findings that favour a diagnosis of DILI versus MASH progression, identify prognostic features, characterise the clinicopathological phenotype of DILI, and/or define lesions that influence decisions about trial discontinuation and further development of the drug.

Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery-Optimized Knowledge-Based Radiotherapy Planning in Patients with Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery volume receiving 15 Gy (V15 Gy) has been associated with major adverse cardiac events and mortality in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) treated with radiotherapy (RT). However, coronary arteries are not routinely contoured as standard-of-care and there is limited data describing coronary-sparing planning techniques. Our objective was to evaluate whether LAD-sparing could be improved compared to real-world plans using a commercial knowledge-based planning (KBP) software without clinically unacceptable tradeoffs to other critical organs at risk (OAR).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Retrospective replanning analysis was conducted on 31 RT plans developed for patients with LA-NSCLC. Each case was manually replanned with volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) optimized for LAD V15 Gy sparing with a prescription dose of 60 Gy. The resulting plans were used to create an LAD-optimized KBP model. The model included both KBP-generated objectives and additional point objectives to meet LAD (V15 Gy < 10%), lung (V5 Gy < 60%, V20 < 30%, mean < 17 Gy), heart (mean < 20 Gy), spinal cord (D0.03cc < 45 Gy), esophagus (V60 Gy < 17%, mean < 34 Gy), and planning target volume (PTV; D95% = 100%). The LAD-optimized model was deployed to replan 33 additional VMAT plans for LA-NSCLC with prescription dose 60 Gy, delivered between 2018 and 2022. Dose constraints or objectives were only unmet with KBP when not met in the original plan. Descriptive statistics were used to compare dosimetric parameters between original and LAD-optimized KBP plans.

RESULTS

For the 33 plans identified for LAD-optimized KBP replanning, the original plans had a mean LAD V15 Gy of 17.9% (standard error [SE], 3.9%), while the LAD-optimized KBP plans had a significantly lower mean LAD V15 Gy of 5.9% (SE, 1.9%; p = 0.031). There was no significant difference in mean heart dose between the original and LAD-optimized KBP plans (8.4 Gy [SE 6.6 Gy] vs. 7.3 Gy [SE 5.8 Gy]; p = 0.48). Of these 33 KBP plans, 42% (n = 14) had mean reductions in LAD V15 Gy from 40.5% (SE 4.3%) to 10.5% (SE 3.5%; p = 0.0002), with 9/14 now able to meet < 10%, without affecting other critical OAR objectives (p > 0.5 for lungs, esophagus, spinal cord). 45% (n = 15) originally had an LAD V15 Gy < 1%, which were unchanged using KBP (p > 0.3). Four plans (12%) had higher LAD V15 Gy in the KBP vs. original plan (2/4 still meeting < 10%), due to the model prioritizing other OARs to a greater degree.

CONCLUSION

Improvements in LAD-sparing was achievable in more than 40% of plans without apparent clinically significant tradeoffs in other critical OARs and without corresponding change in MHD. This result underscores the importance of standard implementation of LAD contouring and dose constraints, particularly given the discordance between whole heart and LAD dose exposure.

The predictive value of liver tests for the presence of liver metastases

Aim

To analyze the predictive value of biochemical liver tests in patients with malignant melanoma, breast, colorectal or lung cancers at the time of diagnosis of liver metastases.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients with the above-mentioned solid tumors at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital from 2016-2020.

Results

The highest optimal cutoff according to sensitivity and specificity for the presence of liver metastases was for AST ≥1.5 × ULN for melanoma, lung, and breast cancers and ≥2 × ULN for colorectal cancer, ALT ≥1.25 × ULN for melanoma, breast and colorectal cancers and ≥1.5 × ULN for lung cancer, and ALP ≥1.5 × ULN for melanoma, breast and colorectal cancers.

Conclusion

Using thresholds of liver enzymes above the ULN may improve the diagnostic accuracy for the presence of liver metastases.

The Metreleptin Effectiveness and Safety Registry (MEASuRE): concept, design and challenges

BACKGROUND

Metreleptin, a recombinant analog of human leptin, is an approved therapy, adjunct to diet, to treat the metabolic complications of leptin deficiency in patients with lipodystrophy - a group of rare diseases characterized by a paucity of adipose tissue. MEASuRE (Metreleptin Effectiveness And Safety Registry) is a post-authorization, voluntary registry that gathers long-term safety and effectiveness data on metreleptin. Here, we present the aims and evolution of MEASuRE.

METHODS

MEASuRE was established to collect data from patients receiving commercially supplied metreleptin in the United States (US) and European Union (EU). MEASuRE aims to determine the incidence and severity of safety events and describe the clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcomes in the metreleptin-treated population. A key feature of MEASuRE is that it accumulates data from different sources to meet post-authorization objectives. US data are received directly from treating physicians via a contract research organization-mediated electronic data capture system. In the EU, data are received via the European Registry of Lipodystrophies managed by the European Consortium of Lipodystrophies (ECLip), a platform established by researchers and physicians to advance the knowledge of lipodystrophy. MEASuRE complies with applicable regulatory requirements governing privacy, and the storage, management, and access of data.

RESULTS

Leveraging processes, infrastructure, and data from the ECLip registry presented several challenges that were addressed during MEASuRE's development, including the expansion of the ECLip registry to accommodate MEASuRE-specific data elements, extensive data matching processes to ensure data consistency regardless of source, and rigorous data validation following the amalgamation of global data. Through the support of ECLip, MEASuRE is now a fully operational registry with the capacity for gathering and integrating standardized US- and EU-derived data. As of 31st October 2022, 15 US and four EU sites have participated in the MEASuRE, enrolling 85 patients globally.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experiences show that a post-authorization product registry can be successfully integrated into an existing patient registry. We propose that, through collaboration with existing registries and use of their established resources, patient enrolment timelines and data collection for new registries can be expedited. The learnings presented here may be applicable to other registries with similar objectives.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT02325674; Registered 25 December 2014 - Retrospectively registered'. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02325674 .

Clinical Pattern of Tolvaptan-Associated Liver Injury in Trial Participants With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD): An Analysis of Pivotal Clinical Trials

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Tolvaptan is associated with risk of drug-induced liver injury when used to treat autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). After this risk was described based on the clinical trials TEMPO 3:4 and TEMPO 4:4, additional data from the REPRISE trial and a long-term extension of TEMPO 4:4, REPRISE, and other tolvaptan trials in ADPKD have become available. To further characterize the hepatic safety profile of tolvaptan, an analysis of the expanded dataset was conducted.

STUDY DESIGN

Analysis of safety data from prospective clinical trials of tolvaptan.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

Multicenter clinical trials including more than 2,900 tolvaptan-treated participants, more than 2,300 with at least 18 months of drug exposure.

INTERVENTION

Tolvaptan administered twice daily in split-dose regimens.

OUTCOMES

Frequency of liver enzyme level increases detected by regular laboratory monitoring.

RESULTS

In the placebo-controlled REPRISE trial, more tolvaptan- than placebo-treated participants (38 of 681 [5.6%] vs 8 of 685 [1.2%]) experienced alanine aminotransferase level increases to >3× the upper limit of normal (ULN), similar to TEMPO 3:4 (40 of 957 [4.4%] vs 5 of 484 [1.0%]). No participant in REPRISE or the long-term extension experienced concurrent alanine aminotransferase level increases to >3× ULN and total bilirubin increases to >2× ULN ("Hy's Law" laboratory criteria). Based on the expanded dataset, liver enzyme increases most often occurred within 18 months after tolvaptan initiation and were less frequent thereafter. Increased levels returned to normal or near normal after treatment interruption or discontinuation. Thirty-eight patients were rechallenged with tolvaptan after the initial drug-induced liver injury episode, with return of liver enzyme level increases in 30; 1 additional participant showed a clinical "adaptation" after the initial episode, with resolution of the enzyme level increases despite continuation of tolvaptan.

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of Hy's Law cases in REPRISE and the long-term extension trial support monthly liver enzyme monitoring during the first 18 months of tolvaptan exposure and every 3 months thereafter to detect and manage enzyme level increases, as is recommended on the drug label.

FUNDING

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trials included in the dataset were registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with study numbers NCT00428948 (TEMPO 3:4), NCT01214421 (TEMPO 4:4), NCT02160145 (REPRISE), and NCT02251275 (long-term extension).

Safety and Dosing Study of a Cholecystokinin Receptor Antagonist in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis

High saturated fat diets have been shown to raise blood levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) and induce nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). CCK receptors are expressed on stellate cells and are responsible for hepatic fibrosis when activated. The purpose of this study was to test the safety and dose of a CCK receptor antagonist, proglumide, in human participants with NASH. An open-label single ascending dose study was conducted in 18 participants with clinical NASH based upon steatosis by liver ultrasound, elevated hepatic transaminases, and a component of the metabolic syndrome. Three separate cohorts (N = 6 each) were treated with oral proglumide for 12 weeks in a sequential ascending fashion with 800 (Cohort 1), 1,200 (Cohort 2), and 1,600 (Cohort 3) mg/day, respectively. Blood hematology, chemistries, proglumide levels, a biomarker panel for fibrosis, and symptom surveys were determined at baseline and every 4 weeks. Abdominal ultrasounds and transient elastography utilizing FibroScan were obtained at baseline and at Week 12. Proglumide was well tolerated at all doses without any serious adverse events. There was no change in body weight from baseline to Week 12. For Cohorts 1, 2, and 3, the median percent change in alanine aminotransferase was 8.42, -5.05, and -22.23 and median percent change in fibrosis score by FibroScan was 8.13, -5.44, and -28.87 (kPa), respectively. Hepatic steatosis as measured by controlled attenuation parameter score significantly decreased with proglumide, (P < 0.05). Blood microRNA biomarkers and serum 4-hydroxyproline were consistent with decreased fibrosis at Week 12 compared with baseline. These findings suggest proglumide exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties and this compound is well tolerated in participants with NASH.

Highlights of the drug-induced liver injury literature for 2021

INTRODUCTION

In 2021, over 3,000 articles on Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI) were published, nearly doubling the annual number compared to 2011. This review selected DILI articles from 2021 we felt held the greatest interest and clinical relevance.

AREAS COVERED

A literature search was conducted using PubMed between 1 March 2021 and 28 February 2022. 86 articles were included. This review discusses new and established cases of hepatotoxins, including new FDA approvals and COVID-19 therapeutics. Developments in biomarkers and causality assessment methods are discussed. Updates from registries are also explored.

EXPERT OPINION

DILI diagnosis and prognostication remain challenging. Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) is the best option for determining causality and has been increasingly accepted by clinicians. Revised Electronic Causality Assessment Method (RECAM) may be more user-friendly and accurate but requires further validation. Quantitative systems pharmacology methods, such as DILIsym, are increasingly used to predict hepatotoxicity. Oncotherapeutic agents represent many newly approved and described causes of DILI. Such hepatotoxicity is deemed acceptable relative to the benefit these drugs offer. Drugs developed for non-life-threatening disorders may not show a favorable benefit-to-risk ratio and will be more difficult to approve. As the COVID-19 landscape evolves, its effect on DILI deserves further investigation.

Clinical Significance of Transient Asymptomatic Elevations in Aminotransferase (TAEAT) in Oncology

Monitoring for liver injury remains an important aspect of drug safety assessment, including for oncotherapeutics. When present, drug-induced liver injury may limit the use or result in the discontinuation of these agents. Drug-induced liver injury can exhibit with a wide spectrum of clinical and biochemical manifestations, ranging from transient asymptomatic elevations in aminotransferases (TAEAT) to acute liver failure. Numerous oncotherapeutics have been associated with TAEAT, with published reports indicating a phenomenon in which patients may be asymptomatic without overt liver injury despite the presence of grade ≥3 aminotransferase elevations. In this review, we discuss the occurrence of TAEAT in the context of oncology clinical trials and clinical practice, as well as the clinical relevance of this phenomenon as an adverse event in response to oncotherapeutics and the related cellular and molecular mechanisms that may underlie its occurrence. We also identify several gaps in knowledge relevant to the diagnosis and the management of TAEAT in patients receiving oncotherapeutics, and identify areas warranting further study to enable the future development of consensus guidelines to support clinical decision-making.

Discovery of a Novel Class of d-Amino Acid Oxidase Inhibitors Using the Schrödinger Computational Platform

d-Serine is a coagonist of the N-methyl d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, a key excitatory neurotransmitter receptor. In the brain, d-serine is synthesized from its l-isomer by serine racemase and is metabolized by the D-amino acid oxidase (DAO, DAAO). Many studies have linked decreased d-serine concentration and/or increased DAO expression and enzyme activity to NMDA dysfunction and schizophrenia. Thus, it is feasible to employ DAO inhibitors for the treatment of schizophrenia and other indications. Powered by the Schrödinger computational modeling platform, we initiated a research program to identify novel DAO inhibitors with the best-in-class properties. The program execution leveraged an hDAO FEP+ model to prospectively predict compound potency. A new class of DAO inhibitors with desirable properties has been discovered from this endeavor. Our modeling technology on this program has not only enhanced the efficiency of structure-activity relationship development but also helped to identify a previously unexplored subpocket for further optimization.

Herbal and dietary supplement induced liver injury: Highlights from the recent literature

Herbal-induced liver injury (HILI) is an important and increasingly concerning cause of liver toxicity, and this study presents recent updates to the literature. An extensive literature review was conducted encompassing September 2019 through March 2021. Studies with clinically significant findings were analyzed and included in this review. We emphasized those studies that provided a causality assessment methodology, such as Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method scores. Our review includes reports of individual herbals, including Garcinia cambogia, green tea extract, kratom as well as classes such as performance enhancing supplements, Traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and herbal contamination. Newly described herbals include ashwagandha, boldo, skyfruit, and 'Thermo gun'. Several studies discussing data from national registries, including the United States Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI) Network, Spanish DILI Registry, and Latin American DILI Network were incorporated. There has also been a continued interest in hepatoprotection, with promising use of herbals to counter hepatotoxicity from anti-tubercular medications. We also elucidated the current legal conversation surrounding use of herbals by presenting updates from the Federal Drug Administration. The highlights of the literature over the past year indicate interest in HILI that will continue as the supplement industry in the United States grows.

Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Highlights and Controversies in the Recent Literature

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains an important, yet challenging diagnosis for physicians. Each year, additional drugs are implicated in DILI and this year was no different, with more than 1400 articles published on the subject. This review examines some of the most significant highlights and controversies in DILI-related research over the past year and their implications for clinical practice. Several new drugs were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration including a number of drugs implicated in causing DILI, particularly among the chemotherapeutic classes. The COVID-19 pandemic was also a major focus of attention in 2020 and we discuss some of the notable aspects of COVID-19-related liver injury and its implications for diagnosing DILI. Updates in diagnostic and causality assessments related to DILI such as the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method are included, mindful that there is still no single biomarker or diagnostic tool to unequivocally diagnose DILI. Glutamate dehydrogenase received renewed attention as being more specific than alanine aminotransferase. There were a few new reports of previously unrecognized hepatotoxins, including immune modulators and novel gene therapy drugs that we highlight. Updates and new developments of previously described hepatotoxins, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-tuberculosis drugs are reviewed. Finally, novel technologies such as organoid culture systems to better predict DILI preclinically may be coming of age and determinants of hepatocyte loss, such as calculating P_ALT are poised to improve our current means of estimating DILI severity and the risk of acute liver failure.

Onapristone Extended Release: Safety Evaluation from Phase I-II Studies with an Emphasis on Hepatotoxicity

Introduction

Antiprogestins have demonstrated promising activity against breast and gynecological cancers, but liver-related safety concerns limited the advancement of this therapeutic class. Onapristone is a full progesterone receptor antagonist originally developed as an oral contraceptive and later evaluated in phase II studies for metastatic breast cancer. Because of liver enzyme elevations identified during clinical studies, further development was halted. Evaluation of antiprogestin pharmacology and pharmacokinetic data suggested that liver enzyme elevations might be related to off-target or metabolic effects associated with clinical drug exposure.

Objective

We explored whether the use of a pharmaceutic strategy targeting efficacious systemic dose concentrations, but with diminished peak serum concentrations and/or total drug exposure would mitigate hepatotoxicity. Twice-daily dosing of an extended-release formulation of onapristone was developed and clinically evaluated in light of renewed interest in antiprogestin therapy for treating progesterone receptor-positive breast and gynecologic cancers. The hepatotoxic potential of extended-release onapristone was assessed from two phase I–II studies involving patients with breast, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate cancer.

Results

Among the 88 patients in two phase I–II studies in progesterone receptor-positive malignancies treated with extended-release onapristone, elevated alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase levels were found in 20% of patients with liver metastases compared with 6.3% without metastases. Of five patients with grade 3 or higher alanine aminotransferase elevations with or without bilirubin elevations (four with breast cancer and one with endometrial cancer), four were assessed as unrelated to extended-release onapristone by the safety data review committee. Furthermore, while the fifth patient’s liver enzyme elevations were considered possibly drug related by the study investigator, they were adjudicated as unlikely to be related (< 25% likelihood) by a subsequent independent hepatologist.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the extended-release formulation by reducing drug exposure may be associated with a reduced risk of hepatotoxicity, and supports the continued clinical evaluation of extended-release onapristone for treating progesterone receptor-positive cancers.

Consensus Guidelines: Best Practices for Detection, Assessment and Management of Suspected Acute Drug-Induced Liver Injury During Clinical Trials in Adults with Chronic Viral Hepatitis and Adults with Cirrhosis Secondary to Hepatitis B, C and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

With the widespread development of new drugs to treat chronic liver diseases (CLDs), including viral hepatitis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), more patients are entering trials with abnormal baseline liver tests and with advanced liver injury, including cirrhosis. The current regulatory guidelines addressing the monitoring, diagnosis, and management of suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) during clinical trials primarily address individuals entering with normal baseline liver tests. Using the same laboratory criteria cited as signals of potential DILI in studies involving patients with no underlying liver disease and normal baseline liver tests may result in premature and unnecessary cessation of a study drug in a clinical trial population whose abnormal and fluctuating liver tests are actually due to their underlying CLD. This position paper focuses on defining best practices for the detection, monitoring, diagnosis, and management of suspected acute DILI during clinical trials in patients with CLD, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), both with and without cirrhosis and NASH with cirrhosis. This is one of several position papers developed by the IQ DILI Initiative, comprising members from 16 pharmaceutical companies in collaboration with DILI experts from academia and regulatory agencies. It is based on an extensive literature review and discussions between industry members and experts from outside industry to achieve consensus regarding the recommendations. Key conclusions and recommendations include (1) the importance of establishing laboratory criteria that signal potential DILI events and that fit the disease indication being studied in the clinical trial based on knowledge of the natural history of test fluctuations in that disease; (2) establishing a pretreatment value that is based on more than one screening determination, and revising that baseline during the trial if a new nadir is achieved during treatment; (3) basing rules for increased monitoring and for stopping drug for potential DILI on multiples of baseline liver test values and/or a threshold value rather than multiples of the upper limit of normal (ULN) for that test; (4) making use of more sensitive tests of liver function, including direct bilirubin (DB) or combined parameters such as aspartate transaminase:alanine transaminase (AST:ALT) ratio or model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) to signal potential DILI, especially in studies of patients with cirrhosis; and (5) being aware of potential confounders related to complications of the disease being studied that may masquerade as DILI events.

Real-world safety of palbociclib in breast cancer patients in the United States: a new user cohort study

Background

There is limited real-world safety information on palbociclib for treatment of advanced stage HR+/HER2- breast cancer.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study of breast cancer patients initiating palbociclib and fulvestrant from February 2015 to September 2017 using the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRD), a longitudinal claims database of commercial health plan members in the United States.

The historical comparator cohort comprised patients initiating fulvestrant monotherapy from January 2011 to January 2015. Propensity score matching and Cox regression were used to estimate hazard ratios for various safety events. For acute liver injury (ALI), additional analyses and medical record validation were conducted.

Results

There were 2445 patients who initiated palbociclib including 566 new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant, and 2316 historical new users of fulvestrant monotherapy. Compared to these historical new users of fulvestrant monotherapy, new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant had a greater than 2-fold elevated risk for neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, stomatitis and mucositis, and ALI. Incidence of anemia and QT prolongation were more weakly associated, and incidences of serious infections and pulmonary embolism were similar between groups after propensity score matching. After adjustment for additional ALI risk factors, the elevated risk of ALI in new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant persisted (e.g. primary ALI algorithm hazard ratio (HR) = 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1–8.4).

Conclusions

This real-world study found increased risks of several adverse events identified in clinical trials, including neutropenia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, but no increased risk of serious infections or pulmonary embolism when comparing new users of palbociclib-fulvestrant to fulvestrant monotherapy. We observed an increased risk of ALI, extending clinical trial findings of significant imbalances in grade 3/4 elevations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-07790-z.

Pexidartinib Long-Term Hepatic Safety Profile in Patients with Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors

Background

Pexidartinib is approved in the U.S. for tenosynovial giant cell tumors (TGCTs). Herein, we assessed the hepatic safety profile of pexidartinib across patients with TGCTs receiving pexidartinib.

Materials, and Methods

Hepatic adverse reactions (ARs) were assessed by type and magnitude of liver test abnormalities, classified as (a) isolated aminotransferase elevations (alanine [ALT] or aspartate [AST], without significant alkaline phosphatase [ALP] or bilirubin elevations), or (b) mixed or cholestatic hepatotoxicity (increase in ALP with or without ALT/AST and bilirubin elevations, based on adjudication). Median follow‐up from initial pexidartinib treatment was 39 months (range, 32–82) in 140 patients with TGCTs across clinical studies NCT01004861, NCT02371369, NCT02734433, and NCT03291288.

Results

In total, 95% of patients with TGCTs (133/140) treated with pexidartinib (median duration of exposure, 19 months [range, 1–76]), experienced a hepatic AR. A total of 128 patients (91%) had reversible, low‐grade dose‐dependent isolated AST/ALT elevations without significant ALP elevations. Five patients (4%) experienced serious mixed or cholestatic injury. No case met Hy's law criteria. Onset of hepatic ARs was predominantly in the first 2 months. All five serious hepatic AR cases recovered 1–7 months following pexidartinib discontinuation. Five patients from the non‐TGCT population (N = 658) experienced serious hepatic ARs, two irreversible cases.

Conclusion

This pooled analysis provides information to help form the basis for the treating physician's risk assessment for patients with TCGTs, a locally aggressive but typically nonmetastatic tumor. In particular, long‐term treatment with pexidartinib has a predictable effect on hepatic aminotransferases and unpredictable risk of serious cholestatic or mixed liver injury.

Implications for Practice

This is the first long‐term pooled analysis to report on the long‐term hepatic safety of pexidartinib in patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumors associated with severe morbidity or functional limitations and not amenable to improvement with surgery. These findings extend beyond what has been previously published, describing the observed instances of hepatic toxicity following pexidartinib treatment across the clinical development program. This information is highly relevant for medical oncologists and orthopedic oncologists and provides guidance for its proper use for appropriate patients within the Pexidartinib Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Safety program.

Pexidartinib is approved in the U.S. for treatment of tenosynovial giant cell tumors (TGCT). This article assesses the hepatic safety profile of pexidartinib in TGCT cases and describes risk mitigation procedures designed to identify any instances of serious liver injury as early as possible to better inform prescribers and patients about this drug.

Effects of Bardoxolone Methyl on Hepatic Enzymes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Stage 4 CKD

In a multinational placebo‐controlled phase III clinical trial in 2,185 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and stage 4 chronic kidney disease, treatment with the Nrf2 activator bardoxolone methyl increased estimated glomerular filtration rate, a measure of kidney function, but also resulted in increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma glutamyl transferase. These increases in liver enzyme level(s) were maximal after 4 weeks of treatment and reversible, trending back toward baseline through week 48. Total bilirubin concentrations did not increase, and no cases met Hy’s Law criteria, although two subjects had ALT concentrations that exceeded 10 × the upper limit of the population reference range leading to discontinuation of treatment. Animal and cell culture experiments suggested that the increases in ALT and AST induced by bardoxolone methyl may be related to its pharmacological activity. Bardoxolone methyl significantly induced the mRNA expression of ALT and AST isoforms in cultured cells. Expression of ALT and AST isoforms in liver and kidney also positively correlated with Nrf2 status in mice. Overall, these data suggest that the increases in ALT and AST observed clinically were, at least in part, related to the pharmacological induction of aminotransferases via Nrf2 activation, rather than to any intrinsic form of hepatotoxicity.

Hepatotoxicty of Agents Used in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a 2020 Update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

As treatment options for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continue to expand, the opportunity for hepatotoxicity remains a clinical concern. This review looks to update the current literature on drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and liver-related complications from current and emerging treatments for Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

RECENT FINDINGS

An extensive literature review on currently used medications to treat IBD and their liver-related side effects that includes mesalamine, thiopurines, certain antibiotics, methotrexate, anti-TNF agents including recently introduced biosimilars, anti-integrin therapy, anti-IL 12/IL 23 therapy, and small molecule JAK inhibitors. Hepatotoxicity remains an important clinical issue when managing patients with IBD. Clinicians need to remain aware of the potential for liver-related adverse events with various medication classes and adjust their clinical monitoring as appropriate based on the agents being used.

Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Highlights of the Recent Literature

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI), herbal-induced liver injury, and herbal and dietary supplement (HDS)-induced liver injury are an important aspect of drug safety. Knowledge regarding responsible drugs, mechanisms, risk factors, and the diagnostic tools to detect liver injury have continued to grow in the past year. This review highlights what we considered the most significant publications from among more than 1800 articles relating to liver injury from medications, herbal products, and dietary supplements in 2017 and 2018. The US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) prospective study highlighted several areas of ongoing study, including the potential utility of human leukocyte antigens and microRNAs as DILI risk factors and new data on racial differences, the role of alcohol consumption, factors associated with prognosis, and updates on the clinical signatures of autoimmune DILI, thiopurines, and HDS agents. Novel data were also generated from the Spanish and Latin American DILI registries as well as from Chinese and Korean case series. A few new agents causing DILI were added to the growing list in the past 2 years, including sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors, as were new aspects of chemotherapy-associated liver injury. A number of cases reported previously described hepatotoxins confirmed via the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM; e.g., norethisterone, methylprednisolone, glatiramer acetate) and/or the DILIN method (e.g., celecoxib, dimethyl fumarate). Additionally, much work centered on elucidating the pathophysiology of DILI, including the importance of bile salt export pumps and immune-mediated mechanisms. Finally, it must be noted that, while hundreds of new studies described DILI in 2017-2018, the quality of such reports must always be addressed. Björnsson reminds us to remain very critical of the data when addressing the future utility of a study, which is why it is so important to adhere to a standardized method such as RUCAM when determining DILI causality. While drug-induced hepatotoxicity remains a diagnosis of exclusion, the diverse array of publications that appeared in 2017 and 2018 provided important advances in our understanding of DILI, paving the way for our improved ability to make a more definitive diagnosis and risk assessment.

Consensus guidelines: best practices for detection, assessment and management of suspected acute drug-induced liver injury occurring during clinical trials in adults with chronic cholestatic liver disease

BACKGROUND

Improved knowledge of the molecular pathophysiology and immunopathogenesis of cholestatic liver diseases in recent years has led to an increased interest in developing novel therapies. Patients with cholestatic liver disease often require different approaches to assessment and management of suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) compared to those with healthy livers and those with parenchymal liver diseases. At present, there are no regulatory guidelines or society position papers, that systematically address best practices pertaining to detection of DILI in these patients.

AIMS

To outline best practices for detection, assessment and management of suspected acute DILI during clinical trials in adults with the cholestatic liver diseases - Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC).

METHODS

This is one of the several papers developed by the IQ DILI Initiative, which is comprised of members from 16 pharmaceutical companies, in collaboration with DILI experts from academia and regulatory agencies. The contents are the result of an extensive literature review, as well as in-depth discussions among industry, regulatory and academic DILI experts, to achieve consensus recommendations on DILI-related issues occurring during clinical trials for cholestatic liver diseases.

RESULTS

Recommended best practices are outlined pertaining to hepatic eligibility criteria, monitoring of liver tests, approach to a suspected DILI signal, and hepatic discontinuation rules.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper provides a framework for the approach to detection, assessment and management of suspected acute DILI occurring during clinical trials in adults with cholestatic liver disease.

699. Hepatobiliary Safety in Adults With Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP) Treated With Lefamulin (LEF) or Moxifloxacin (MOX): Pooled Analysis of Lefamulin Evaluation Against Pneumonia (LEAP) 1 and LEAP 2 Study Results

Background

LEF efficacy and safety were shown in 2 noninferiority trials (LEAP 1/2) vs. MOX in adults with CABP. We assessed the hepatobiliary safety of LEF based on pooled analyses of LEAP 1/2 data.

Methods

In LEAP 1, PORT III–V patients received LEF 150 mg IV q12h for 5–7 days or MOX 400 mg IV q24h for 7 days, with optional IV-to-oral switch (600 mg LEF q12h or 400 mg MOX q24h). In LEAP 2, PORT II–IV patients received oral LEF 600 mg q12h for 5 days or oral MOX 400mg q24h for 7 days. Exclusion criteria included infection with HBV/HCV, acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, AST or ALT >5xULN, total bilirubin >3xULN (unless Gilbert’s disease), AST or ALT >3xULN and total bilirubin >2xULN, and manifestation of end-stage liver disease. Hepatic safety was assessed from baseline (BL) and multiple post-BL blood samples using a central laboratory, TEAEs, and expert consultant adjudication. Pooled analyses included all randomized/treated patients (safety population).

Results

Of 1282 randomized/treated patients, 1251 had BL and post-BL hepatobiliary data (table). Post-BL distribution of ALT/AST was generally similar for both groups, although ALT >AST in the absence of muscle injury or alcohol use. Overall, rates of patients experiencing an increase in ALT/AST >3xULN, ALP >2xULN, or total bilirubin >1.5xULN were low (table). Patients with elevated vs. normal BL transaminases (TAs) were more likely to have post-BL elevations >3xULN, but the vast majority remained <5xULN. Among patients with ALT >5xULN, peak increases were generally seen in the first week after the first LEF dose and declined to within/near normal levels by late follow-up (day 28); for MOX, time to peak ALT was less consistent (figure). No LEF pt and 1 MOX pt met laboratory criteria for Hy’s Law. Elevations in TAs were reversible, with no evidence of chronic injury. The LEF injury pattern was predominantly hepatocellular (50.0%)/mixed (40.0%), with no apparent gender, age, or ethnic predominance. TEAEs in the hepatobiliary disorders system organ class were reported in 6 (0.9%) LEF patients and 6 (0.9%) MOX patients, with similar levels seen in patients with elevated BL TAs. There were no symptomatic patients, severe disease, or evidence of hypersensitivity.

Conclusion

Low incidences of hepatobiliary parameter elevations and TEAEs were observed, with no apparent differences between LEF and MOX.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.

Consensus: guidelines: best practices for detection, assessment and management of suspected acute drug-induced liver injury during clinical trials in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

BACKGROUND

The last decade has seen a rapid growth in the number of clinical trials enrolling patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Due to the underlying chronic liver disease, patients with NASH often require different approaches to the assessment and management of suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) compared to patients with healthy livers. However, currently no regulatory guidelines or position papers systematically address best practices pertaining to DILI in NASH clinical trials.

AIMS

This publication focuses on best practices concerning the detection, monitoring, diagnosis and management of suspected acute DILI during clinical trials in patients with NASH.

METHODS

This is one of several papers developed by the IQ DILI Initiative, comprised of members from 15 pharmaceutical companies, in collaboration with DILI experts from academia and regulatory agencies. This paper is based on extensive literature review, and discussions between industry members with expertise in drug safety and DILI experts from outside industry to achieve consensus on common questions related to this topic.

RESULTS

Recommended best practices are outlined pertaining to hepatic inclusion and exclusion criteria, monitoring of liver tests, DILI detection, approach to a suspected DILI signal, causality assessment and hepatic discontinuation rules.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper provides a framework for the approach to assessment and management of suspected acute DILI during clinical trials in patients with NASH.

Hepatotoxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a comprehensive review including current and alternative management strategies

INTRODUCTION

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) block cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) receptors that control antitumor activities of lymphocytes. While highly efficacious, these drugs have been associated with several immune-related adverse events (irAEs) due to the disruption of self-tolerance. Immune-mediated hepatitis (IMH) usually presents as mild elevations of liver enzymes though it can rarely be associated with life-threatening hepatic injury. Areas covered: A comprehensive review was performed to define the clinicopathologic forms of liver injury associated with ICIs, comparing the various ICI classes as well as comparing this form of IMH with idiopathic autoimmune hepatitis and drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis. Liver biopsy has proven very useful in selected patients. A specific form of fibrin ring granulomatous hepatitis appears to be associated with IMH. The current societal treatment algorithms and emerging data were reviewed to determine when to utilize corticosteroids. Expert opinion: Monitoring for severe ICI-IMH is recommended although acute liver failure remains rare. Most patients with grade 3-4 hepatotoxicity respond to corticosteroids, but a subset of patients with mild hepatitis on liver biopsy resolve without steroids and need to be carefully selected in concert with the consultation of a hepatologist.

Latest advances in diagnosing and predicting DILI: what was new in 2017?

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains an increasingly recognized cause of hepatotoxicity and liver failure worldwide. In 2017, we continued to learn about predicting, diagnosing, and prognosticating drug hepatotoxicity. Areas covered: In this review, we selected from over 1200 articles from 2017 to synopsize updates in DILI. There were new HLA haplotypes associated with medications including HLA-C0401 and HLA-B*14. There has been continued work with quantitative systems pharmacology, particularly with the DILIsym® initiative, which employs mathematical representations of DILI mechanisms to predict hepatotoxicity in simulated populations. Additionally, knowledge regarding microRNAs (miRNAs) continues to expand. Some new miRNAs this past year include miRNA-223 and miRNA-605. Aside from miRNAs, other biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and even prediction of DILI were explored. Studies on K18, OPN, and MCSFR have correlated DILI and liver-associated death within 6 months. Conversely, a new prognostic panel using apolipoportein-A1 and haptoglobin has been proposed to predict recovery. Further study of CDH5 has also provided researchers a possible new biomarker for prediction and susceptibility to DILI. Expert commentary: Although research on DILI remains quite promising, there is yet to be a reliable, simple method to predict, diagnose, and risk assess this form of hepatotoxicity.

Nonacetaminophen Drug-Induced Acute Liver Failure

Acute liver failure of all causes is diagnosed in between 2000 and 2500 patients annually in the United States. Drug-induced acute liver failure is the leading cause of acute liver failure, accounting for more than 50% of cases. Nonacetaminophen drug injury represents 11% of all cases in the latest registry from the US Acute Liver Failure Study Group. Although rare, acute liver failure is clinically dramatic when it occurs, and requires a multidisciplinary approach to management. In contrast with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure, non-acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure has a more ominous prognosis with a lower liver transplant-free survival.

A prospective gating method to acquire a diverse set of free-breathing CT images for model-based 4DCT

Breathing motion modeling requires observation of tissues at sufficiently distinct respiratory states for proper 4D characterization. This work proposes a method to improve sampling of the breathing cycle with limited imaging dose. We designed and tested a prospective free-breathing acquisition protocol with a simulation using datasets from five patients imaged with a model-based 4DCT technique. Each dataset contained 25 free-breathing fast helical CT scans with simultaneous breathing surrogate measurements. Tissue displacements were measured using deformable image registration. A correspondence model related tissue displacement to the surrogate. Model residual was computed by comparing predicted displacements to image registration results. To determine a stopping criteria for the prospective protocol, i.e. when the breathing cycle had been sufficiently sampled, subsets of N scans where 5  ⩽  N  ⩽  9 were used to fit reduced models for each patient. A previously published metric was employed to describe the phase coverage, or 'spread', of the respiratory trajectories of each subset. Minimum phase coverage necessary to achieve mean model residual within 0.5 mm of the full 25-scan model was determined and used as the stopping criteria. Using the patient breathing traces, a prospective acquisition protocol was simulated. In all patients, phase coverage greater than the threshold necessary for model accuracy within 0.5 mm of the 25 scan model was achieved in six or fewer scans. The prospectively selected respiratory trajectories ranked in the (97.5  ±  4.2)th percentile among subsets of the originally sampled scans on average. Simulation results suggest that the proposed prospective method provides an effective means to sample the breathing cycle with limited free-breathing scans. One application of the method is to reduce the imaging dose of a previously published model-based 4DCT protocol to 25% of its original value while achieving mean model residual within 0.5 mm.

Highlights of drug - and herb- induced liver injury in the literature from 2016: how best to translate new information into clinical practice?

INTRODUCTION

Over 1500 papers on drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and herb-induced liver injury (HILI) were published in 2016, many of which have the potential to impact clinical practice. Areas covered: Clinical studies and case series that lent themselves to new concepts in diagnosing, and treating DILI were selected for inclusion. Epidemiology of DILI in large prospective registries was highlighted. Causality assessment of drug hepatotoxicity remains challenging, as seen with cases of OxyELITE Pro (OEP). In 2016 updates to the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) were published to aid in the accuracy of diagnosing DILI/HILI. New reports of established hepatotoxins were again discussed in 2016, including genetic risk factors for DILI with respect to antituberculous agents. Expert opinion: 2016 marked a turning point in how much credence should be placed in the current causality assessment for DILI/HILI cases. Many recognized hepatotoxins are backed by a relatively few number of literature reports. Danan and Teschke make a strong case that an updated RUCAM should remain the gold standard for diagnosing DILI/HILI going forward, although the role of expert opinion is often still needed in cases where RUCAM falls short. The field of chemoinformatics continues to evolve while we await a truly predictive and diagnostic DILI biomarker.

Hypoxic hepatitis - its biochemical profile, causes and risk factors of mortality in critically-ill patients: A cohort study of 565 patients

PURPOSE

A retrospective analysis of critically-ill patients with hypoxic hepatitis (HH) to characterize the biochemical profile and to identify predictors of mortality using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database.

METHODS

HH was defined as a rapid increase in AST/ALT≥800IU/L after exclusion of other causes. We investigated the correlation between various clinical and laboratory parameters and mortality rates using regression models.

RESULTS

Among 38,645 ICU-patients, 565 (1.46%) were diagnosed with HH; 57.9% were males; median age was 63years. The unique biochemical profile of HH was confirmed; lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was higher than both ALT and AST; AST>ALT for the first 2days then the ratio is reversed until recovery. All-cause hospital mortality was 44.1%. All-cause hospital mortality was 44.1%. On multivariate analysis, older age, higher SAPS-II, higher INR, higher bilirubin, higher LDH, acute kidney injury (AKI), and the need for vasopressors were independently associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION

Older age, higher SAPS-II, LDH, INR and bilirubin levels, concomitant AKI and the need for vasopressors were all factors associated with increased mortality. The diagnosis of HH was an important harbinger of mortality in this population, which appears to be driven mainly by the severity of the underlying conditions.

Gastric antral webs in adults: A case series characterizing their clinical presentation and management in the modern endoscopic era

AIM

To investigate the current management of gastric antral webs (GAWs) among adults and identify optimal endoscopic and/or surgical management for these patients.

METHODS

We reviewed our endoscopy database seeking to identify patients in whom a GAW was visualized among 24640 esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD) over a seven-year period (2006-2013) at a single tertiary care center. The diagnosis of GAW was suspected during EGD if aperture size of the antrum did not vary with peristalsis or if a “double bulb” sign was present on upper gastrointestinal series. Confirmation of the diagnosis was made by demonstrating a normal pylorus distal to the GAW.

RESULTS

We identified 34 patients who met our inclusion criteria (incidence 0.14%). Of these, five patients presented with gastric outlet obstruction (GOO), four of whom underwent repeated sequential balloon dilations and/or needle-knife incisions with steroid injection for alleviation of GOO. The other 29 patients were incidentally found to have a non-obstructing GAW. Age at diagnosis ranged from 30-87 years. Non-obstructing GAWs are mostly incidental findings. The most frequently observed symptom prompting endoscopic work-up was refractory gastroesophageal reflux (n = 24, 70.6%) followed by abdominal pain (n = 11, 33.4%), nausea and vomiting (n = 9, 26.5%), dysphagia (n = 6, 17.6%), unexplained weight loss, (n = 4, 11.8%), early satiety (n = 4, 11.8%), and melena of unclear etiology (n = 3, 8.82%). Four of five GOO patients were treated with balloon dilation (n = 4), four-quadrant needle-knife incision (n = 3), and triamcinolone injection (n = 2). Three of these patients required repeat intervention. One patient had a significant complication of perforation after needle-knife incision.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic intervention for GAW using balloon dilation or needle-knife incision is generally safe and effective in relieving symptoms, however repeat treatment may be needed and a risk of perforation exists with thermal therapies.

Current and future directions in the treatment and prevention of drug-induced liver injury: a systematic review

While the pace of discovery of new agents, mechanisms and risk factors involved in drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains brisk, advances in the treatment of acute DILI seems slow by comparison. In general, the key to treating suspected DILI is to stop using the drug prior to developing irreversible liver failure. However, predicting when to stop is an inexact science, and commonly used ALT monitoring is an ineffective strategy outside of clinical trials. The only specific antidote for acute DILI remains N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for acetaminophen poisoning, although NAC is proving to be beneficial in some cases of non-acetaminophen DILI in adults. Corticosteroids can be effective for DILI associated with autoimmune or systemic hypersensitivity features. Ursodeoxycholic acid, silymarin and glycyrrhizin have been used to treat DILI for decades, but success remains anecdotal. Bile acid washout regimens using cholestyramine appear to be more evidenced based, in particular for leflunomide toxicity. For drug-induced acute liver failure, the use of liver support systems is still investigational in the United States and emergency liver transplant remains limited by its availability. Primary prevention appears to be the key to avoiding DILI and the need for acute treatment. Pharmacogenomics, including human leukocyte antigen genotyping and the discovery of specific DILI biomarkers offers significant promise for the future. This article describes and summarizes the numerous and diverse treatment and prevention modalities that are currently available to manage DILI.

Enoxaparin-Induced Liver Injury: Case Report and Review of the Literature and FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Anticoagulants are a well known cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We recently encountered a 45-year-old male who developed DILI during treatment with enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), for dural venous thrombosis. The man received enoxaparin 80 mg subcutaneously, twice daily. After 4 days, the patient was asymptomatic but he developed liver aminotransferase elevations: AST 340 U/L and ALT 579 U/L. Investigation revealed an R ratio of 19.9 by day 5 and a Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method score of 10, giving a high probable likelihood that enoxaparin was the cause of hepatic injury. Enoxaparin was discontinued on day 7, and 1 week later AST and ALT had decreased to 61 and 273 U/L, respectively. This case prompted a literature search and a review of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database for the range of hepatic adverse events (HAEs) associated with this class. A MEDLINE/PubMed search was conducted using DILI terms and cross-referenced with the anticoagulant classes. A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was also made to identify adverse events (AEs) associated with enoxaparin in FAERS. Case type, severity of outcome, and demographic information were analyzed. Five publications have reported DILI with enoxaparin. Trial data found elevations in ALT >3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) for unfractionated heparins (UFH) and LMWH in 8 and 4-13 % of subjects, respectively. However, liver injury in all cases was mild, self-limited, and asymptomatic. Our FOIA request yielded 8336 adverse events related to enoxaparin over a 14-year period (Jan 2000-Sept 2014). Specific HAEs were found in 4 % of reports, but all were described with other serious adverse events. The reported outcomes of hospitalization (75 %), death (17 %), and life-threatening medical events (5 %) were likely due to other related serious adverse events such as hemorrhage (28 %) and thrombocytopenia (11 %). We conclude that LMWH-related liver injury is uncommon and reversible. The mechanism of liver injury is not known, although an idiosyncratic effect is postulated. Although the FAERS database lists hepatic injury in 4 % of all enoxaparin-related AEs, it appears that serious outcomes are related to non-hepatic events.

The Art and Science of Diagnosing and Managing Drug-induced Liver Injury in 2015 and Beyond

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains a leading reason why new compounds are dropped from further study or are the subject of product warnings and regulatory actions. Hy's Law of drug-induced hepatocellular jaundice causing a case-fatality rate or need for transplant of 10% or higher has been validated in several large national registries, including the ongoing, prospective U.S. Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network. It serves as the basis for stopping rules in clinical trials and in clinical practice. Because DILI can mimic all known causes of acute and chronic liver disease, establishing causality can be difficult. Histopathologic findings are often nonspecific and rarely, if ever, considered pathognomonic. A daily drug dose >50-100 mg is more likely to be hepatotoxic than does <10 mg, especially if the compound is highly lipophilic or undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism. The quest for a predictive biomarker to replace alanine aminotransferase is ongoing. Markers of necrosis and apoptosis such as microRNA-122 and keratin 18 may prove useful in identifying patients at risk for severe injury when they initially present with a suspected acetaminophen overdose. Although a number of drugs causing idiosyncratic DILI have HLA associations that may allow for pre-prescription testing to prevent hepatotoxicity, the cost and relatively low frequency of injury among affected patients limit the current usefulness of such genome-wide association studies. Alanine aminotransferase monitoring is often recommended but has rarely been shown to be an effective method to prevent serious DILI. Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of DILI have recently been published, although specific therapies remain limited. The LiverTox Web site has been introduced as an interactive online virtual textbook that makes the latest information on more than 650 agents available to clinicians, regulators, and drug developers alike.

3D fluoroscopic image estimation using patient-specific 4DCBCT-based motion models

3D fluoroscopic images represent volumetric patient anatomy during treatment with high spatial and temporal resolution. 3D fluoroscopic images estimated using motion models built using 4DCT images, taken days or weeks prior to treatment, do not reliably represent patient anatomy during treatment. In this study we developed and performed initial evaluation of techniques to develop patient-specific motion models from 4D cone-beam CT (4DCBCT) images, taken immediately before treatment, and used these models to estimate 3D fluoroscopic images based on 2D kV projections captured during treatment. We evaluate the accuracy of 3D fluoroscopic images by comparison to ground truth digital and physical phantom images. The performance of 4DCBCT-based and 4DCT-based motion models are compared in simulated clinical situations representing tumor baseline shift or initial patient positioning errors. The results of this study demonstrate the ability for 4DCBCT imaging to generate motion models that can account for changes that cannot be accounted for with 4DCT-based motion models. When simulating tumor baseline shift and patient positioning errors of up to 5 mm, the average tumor localization error and the 95th percentile error in six datasets were 1.20 and 2.2 mm, respectively, for 4DCBCT-based motion models. 4DCT-based motion models applied to the same six datasets resulted in average tumor localization error and the 95th percentile error of 4.18 and 5.4 mm, respectively. Analysis of voxel-wise intensity differences was also conducted for all experiments. In summary, this study demonstrates the feasibility of 4DCBCT-based 3D fluoroscopic image generation in digital and physical phantoms and shows the potential advantage of 4DCBCT-based 3D fluoroscopic image estimation when there are changes in anatomy between the time of 4DCT imaging and the time of treatment delivery.

Hepatic decompensation likely attributable to simeprevir in patients with advanced cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Hyperbilirubinemia is a common side effect of protease inhibitors used to treat chronic hepatitis C (HCV), and most patients do not experience without clinically overt hepatotoxicity. The safety of second-wave protease inhibitors, including simeprevir, has not been well studied in patients with advanced cirrhosis.

MATERIALS & METHODS

We report two cases of suspected drug-induced liver injury leading to hepatic decompensation in patients with advanced HCV cirrhosis treated with the combination of simeprevir and sofosbuvir on a compassionate basis. Both patients developed marked hyperbilirubinemia out of proportion to their aminotransferases, despite clearance of hepatitis C RNA. RUCAM scoring was probable and possible, respectively. While other factors may have contributed to the liver injury, including infection and concurrent administration of other medications, we believe that the potentially deleterious hepatic effects of simeprevir on transporters or other key functional components were the main reason for their decompensation.

CONCLUSIONS

Protease inhibitors should be used with caution, if at all, in patients with cirrhosis, especially in those with the most advanced disease. We await newer, safer, direct-acting antiviral therapies for such patients, especially those on our transplant list.

Drug-induced liver injury: what was new in 2013?

INTRODUCTION

The year 2013 continued to highlight numerous aspects of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), with new information communicated via > 1500 publications. New reports of DILI were described and FDA warnings and alerts were issued for a number of products, emphasizing the risks related to hepatotoxicity.

AREAS COVERED

We provide a summary of the year's published reports of new causes of DILI, along with reviews and reports of established hepatotoxins, new and expanded DILI registries and the continuing emphasis placed on genetic and other risk factors. Several new analyses of data generated from the US DILI Network are included.

EXPERT OPINION

The clinical usefulness of pharmacogenetic testing remains to be determined; the number of patients who must be tested is large and the overall risk of DILI is quite small. The role that dose and hepatic metabolism play in causing idiosyncratic DILI was reviewed; daily doses > 50 - 100 mg of medications with high lipophilicity appear to be most predictive of severe DILI, but not in all cases. Restricting access to paracetamol in certain parts of the UK continues to demonstrate a successful reduction in the number of acute liver failure cases and patients listed for liver transplant.

Hepatotoxicity of antibiotics: a review and update for the clinician

Collectively, the various classes of antibiotics are a leading cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). However, acute antibiotic-associated DILI can be difficult to diagnose, as the course of therapy is usually brief, and other confounding factors are often present. In addition to the broad clinicopathologic spectrum of hepatotoxicity associated with the antimicrobials, the underlying infectious disease being treated may itself be associated with hepatic dysfunction and jaundice. This review provides summarized information on several classes of antimicrobial agents, highlighting new agents causing DILI and updating information on older agents.