Total hospitalizations after peripheral arterial revascularization in the VOYAGER trial

Background

In the VOYAGER PAD trial, rivaroxaban reduced first and total (first and subsequent) occurrences of major adverse limb and cardiovascular events in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) after lower extremity revascularization (LER), but also increased incident bleeding.

Purpose

Assessment of disease burden by the onset of a particular set of events does not necessarily capture all consequences of a disease process that negatively impact patients' quality of life, motivating the adoption of more patient-centered outcomes. The present analysis of VOYAGER PAD describes the total incidence and duration of hospitalizations reported during the study as a broader measure of total disease burden and net benefit of rivaroxaban therapy.

Methods

Patients were randomized 1:1 to rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily plus aspirin (n=3286) or aspirin alone (n=3278). Investigators documented the primary reason and duration for each hospitalization occurring after randomization. Total hospitalization rates were estimated by events per 100 patient-years. Treatment group comparisons on total hospitalizations as a time-to-event outcome were by marginal proportional hazards models with death as a competing terminal event, while days in hospital were compared by zero-inflated Poisson regression. All analyses were intention-to-treat.

Results

A total of 7156 hospitalizations (3265 first, 3891 subsequent) occurred during a median 2.5 years of follow-up, with nearly 40% being hospitalizations for PAD and a small fraction attributed to bleeding events (Figure 1). The rivaroxaban rate was lower for PAD hospitalizations and higher for bleeding event hospitalizations, with more hospitalizations prevented than caused (Table 1). Mean days in hospital among patients hospitalized at least once was significantly lower in the rivaroxaban group for any reason, for PAD, and for bleeding, so that total days in hospital was numerically lower for rivaroxaban.

Conclusion

Patients with PAD undergoing LER have a high rate of subsequent hospitalizations after an index procedure, driven by re-hospitalizations for PAD. Rivaroxaban decreased both the incidence and duration of PAD hospitalizations. While rivaroxaban increased incident hospitalizations due to bleeding, the mean durations of these hospitalizations were lower relative to placebo, leading to fewer total days in hospital for bleeding (1252 vs. 1531 total days). These findings may be useful for clinicians and patients weighing the risks and benefits of rivaroxaban in PAD after revascularization.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): BayerJanssen

Budesonide enema for the treatment of active, distal ulcerative colitis and proctitis: a dose-ranging study. U.S. Budesonide enema study group

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Budesonide is a highly potent topical glucocorticosteroid that is characterized by low systemic availability as a result of high first-pass hepatic metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three doses of an enema preparation of budesonide in patients with active distal ulcerative colitis/proctitis.

METHODS

In a double-blind multicenter trial, 233 patients were randomized to receive either a placebo enema or budesonide enema at a dose of 0.5 mg/100 mL, 2.0 mg/100 mL, or 8.0 mg/100 mL. The primary efficacy variables were an improvement of sigmoidoscopic inflammation grade, total histopathology score, and remission rates. Effects on cortisol concentrations were also assessed.

RESULTS

After 6 weeks of treatment, there was significant improvement in sigmoidoscopy and histopathology scores in the budesonide 2.0-mg and 8.0-mg dose groups compared with placebo. Remission was achieved in 19% of patients in the 2.0-mg budesonide group (P </= 0.050) and 27% of patients in the 8.0-mg budesonide group (P </= 0.001) compared with 4% in the placebo group. More than 90% of all budesonide patients had a normal adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-stimulated cortisol response at the last visit. The budesonide enemas were well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

Budesonide enema is both effective and safe for the treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis/proctitis. A dose of 2. 0 mg/100 mL budesonide is the lowest effective dose.

Isolated erythroid hypoplasia and renal insufficiency induced by long-term griseofulvin therapy

We describe a patient with hematuria, pyuria, eosinophiluria, decreased renal function, and severe anemia that developed while she was receiving chronic therapy with griseofulvin for onychomycosis. We offer evidence that griseofulvin can cause an isolated erythroid hypoplasia and possibly an allergic interstitial nephritis. This is the first documented case of the above entities induced by the agent. We would recommend, based on our report, that otherwise healthy patients, when maintained on the drug for extended periods of time, have periodic determinations of renal function and hematologic status. As drug-induced erythroid hypoplasia typically occurs after a relatively long period of dosing, it may be prudent in certain individuals to monitor the CBC at approximately bimonthly intervals after initiation of therapy. Recommendations regarding monitoring of renal function are more difficult, as acute allergic interstitial nephritis can occur after either short- or long-term exposure to certain drugs.

HLA associations in heroin-associated nephropathy

Heroin-associated nephropathy (HAN) occurs almost exclusively in black heroin abusers, suggesting a genetic link to the disease. To further study this possibility, the frequencies of HLA-A, B, C, and DR antigens were determined in a group of 47 black patients with HAN. Included in the analyses is a subgroup of 16 patients with biopsy-proven focal glomerulosclerosis. Patient frequencies were compared with three separate control populations, the first a normal black population from New York City, the second from a national registry, and the third a group of blacks with idiopathic focal glomerulosclerosis. Only the frequency of HLA-BW53 was consistently increased significantly in the patients as compared with the control groups. This finding supports the notion that a genetic predisposition may exist in the addicted population for the development of renal disease.

Tuberculous arthritis in a hemodialysis patient

Tuberculosis (TB) is a relatively common infectious complication in the dialysis population. Most cases are extrapulmonary and pose a diagnostic dilemma for the clinician. Tuberculous arthritis is a rare form of extrapulmonary TB occurring in approximately 1% of cases in nonuremics. Only 1 case in a dialysis patient (not proven by positive synovial fluid culture) has been reported. We report here a culture-proven case of tuberculous arthritis in a hemodialysis patient which masqueraded as an acute septic arthritis. TB should be considered early as an etiologic agent along with synovial biopsy when the exact cause of a monoarthritis has not been discovered, thus avoiding delay in initiation of appropriate therapy.

Relative effects of systemic pH, PCO2, and HCO3 concentration on colonic ion transport

To determine the relative effects of systemic pH, PCO2, and bicarbonate concentration on colonic electrolyte transport, states of acute metabolic acidosis and alkalosis were created in Sprague-Dawley rats by gavage feeding (NH4)2SO4 and NaHCO3, respectively. During in situ perfusion of the distal colon in pentobarbital-anesthetized animals, electrolyte transport was measured before and after respiratory compensation of the systemic pH. Acute respiratory acidosis and alkalosis also were studied by ventilating animals with 0, 3, or 8% CO2. When animals in all groups were considered, net sodium absorption correlated well with blood PCO2 (r = 0.99) but not with blood pH. Net bicarbonate secretion correlated with the plasma (r = 0.95) and luminal (r = -0.63) bicarbonate concentrations but not with blood pH or PCO2. Net chloride absorption correlated with both blood PCO2 (r = 0.92) and the plasma bicarbonate concentration (r = 0.80). These results suggest that systemic PCO2 affects a sodium chloride absorptive process and that the plasma bicarbonate concentration affects a chloride absorptive-bicarbonate secretory exchange process in the rat colon.

Relative effects of systemic pH, PCO2, and bicarbonate concentration on ileal ion transport

To determine the relative effects of systemic pH, CO2 tension (PCO2), and bicarbonate concentration on ileal electrolyte transport, states of acute metabolic acidosis and alkalosis were created in Sprague-Dawley rats by gavage feeding (NH4)2SO4 and NaHCO3, respectively. During in situ perfusion of the ileum in anesthetized animals, electrolyte transport was measured before and after respiratory compensation of the systemic pH. Acute respiratory acidosis and alkalosis also were studied by ventilating animals with 0, 3, or 8% CO2. When animals in all groups were considered, net sodium absorption correlated very well with blood pH (r = -0.97). Net bicarbonate secretion correlated with the plasma bicarbonate concentration (r = 0.91) independently of blood pH and PCO2. Net chloride absorption correlated with blood PCO2 (r = 0.92) and was altered when systemic pH and bicarbonate concentration changed in opposite directions. Alterations in luminal pH and PCO2 did not affect electrolyte transport. These results suggest that systemic pH affects a sodium chloride absorptive process and that the plasma bicarbonate concentration affects a chloride absorptive-bicarbonate secretory exchange process in the rat ileum.