Post-marketing surveillance of quetiapine fumarate extended-release tablets in patients with bipolar depression

AIM

This study aimed to verify the real-world efficacy and safety of quetiapine fumarate extended-release tablets (Bipresso® 50 mg and 150 mg; marketing authorization holder is KYOWA Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan) in patients with bipolar depression.

METHODS

We performed a post-marketing surveillance with an observation period of 12 weeks.

RESULTS

In the safety analysis group (n = 345), adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occurred in 111 patients (32.17%). The most common ADRs (>1%) were somnolence in 55 patients (15.94%), akathisia in 11 (3.19%), dizziness in 10 (2.90%), weight increase in 6 (1.74%), thirst in 5 (1.45%), and hypersomnia, constipation, and nausea in 4 patients each (1.16%). The only severe ADR was one patient of suicidal ideation, and "longer time since the onset of the first episode" (p = 0.011) and "presence of complications" (p < 0.001) were identified as significant risk factors for the occurrence of ADRs. In the efficacy analysis group (n = 265), the average changes from baseline in the total Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score were -7.3 ± 8.8, -12.2 ± 10.7, -16.8 ± 12.7, and -13.2 ± 12.7 points after 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and at the last evaluation, respectively. The mean MADRS total score decrease had no significant association with maximum daily dose, diagnosis, and presence or absence of prior or concomitant treatment for bipolar disorder with mood stabilizers/antipsychotics/antidepressants.

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of quetiapine fumarate extended-release tablets was confirmed in clinical practice, and no new safety concerns or risks were identified.

Thirteen years of experience with eslicarbazepine acetate in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland: A safety perspective

OBJECTIVE

Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is a once-daily oral antiseizure medication. Its safety and tolerability from clinical trials have been mostly confirmed by real-world data. The main purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the safety profile of ESL in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (ROI).

METHODS

Safety data were obtained from the UK and ROI post-marketing sources (October 2009-April 2022) by the marketing authorization holder. All individual reports were included in the Argus Safety™ database. All adverse events (AEs) were coded using MedDRA® version 24.1. Only valid cases (meeting the minimum pharmacovigilance reporting requirements) were included.

RESULTS

During 13 years of ESL marketing, with cumulative estimated exposure of 2 210 395 patients-years, 183 reports were received. A total of 402 AEs were reported for the 155 valid reports. The most common reported AEs (≥6% of total reported), per system organ class (SOC), were: nervous system disorders (23.4%), injury, poisoning, and procedural complications (18.9%), general disorders and administration site conditions (12.9%), psychiatric disorders (12.7%) and gastrointestinal disorders (6.7%). The most frequently reported (≥2% of total reported) AEs were: seizure (4.5%), hyponatremia (4.2%), dizziness (2.7%), rash, fatigue (2.5% each), and somnolence (2.0%). Twenty-six percent of events were classified as serious (including six fatal cases).

SIGNIFICANCE

The current analysis supports the known safety profile of ESL, as generally well-tolerated with most AEs being non-serious. The most common AEs were considered either expected according to the disease itself or to the reference safety information. ESL continues to be a relevant medication in the treatment of partial (focal-onset) epilepsy, as also confirmed by the 2022 NICE guidelines.

Safety and effectiveness of lusutrombopag in patients who have chronic liver disease with thrombocytopenia and undergoing invasive procedures: Real-world post-marketing surveillance in Japan

AIM

Lustrombopag has been approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver diseases who are scheduled to undergo an invasive procedure. Here, we report the final results of a post-marketing surveillance assessing the safety and effectiveness of lusutrombopag in Japan.

METHODS

This multicenter, prospective, real-world surveillance collected data from case report forms between October 2016 and May 2021. The observation period was 2 months after the first day of lusutrombopag treatment. Safety and effectiveness (proportion of patients avoiding preoperative platelet transfusion and responders who achieved platelet count increase from baseline) were assessed.

RESULTS

The safety analysis set included 1033 (100.0%), 130 (12.6%), and 14 (1.4%) patients who received one or more, two or more, and three or more treatment cycle(s), and 482 (48.9%), 457 (46.3%), and 43 (4.4%) patients who were Child-Pugh class A, B, and C, respectively. The most common serious adverse drug reactions were portal vein thrombosis, pancytopenia, and white blood cell count decrease, reported in 14 (1.36%), three (0.29%), and two (0.19%) patients, respectively. The incidence of adverse drug reactions was not higher in patients with Child-Pugh class C or those undergoing retreatment cycles compared with other Child-Pugh classes or the first treatment cycle, respectively. During the observation period of the first treatment cycle, 94.7% (889/939) of patients avoided preoperative platelet transfusion and 82.8% (741/895) of the patients met the responder criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

This surveillance study further supports the safety and effectiveness of lusutrombopag in a broad range of patients with chronic liver diseases undergoing planned invasive procedures.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

JapicCTI-163432.

Safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin in clinical practice as monotherapy or with other glucose-lowering drugs in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: subgroup analysis of a 3-year post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors such as empagliflozin are increasingly prescribed as initial glucose-lowering drugs for type 2 diabetes (T2D), based on their cardiorenal benefits. However, information regarding the safety and the effectiveness of monotherapy with SGLT2 inhibitors in routine clinical practice is limited.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed data from a prospective, 3-year, post-marketing surveillance study of empagliflozin in Japan. We evaluated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) (the primary endpoint) and glycemic effectiveness with or without other glucose-lowering drugs.

RESULTS

7931 T2D patients were treated with empagliflozin. At baseline, mean age was 58.7 years, 63.0% were male, and 1835 (23.14%) were not receiving other glucose-lowering drugs. ADRs occurred in 141 (7.68%) and 875 (14.62%) patients initiating empagliflozin as monotherapy or combination therapy, respectively. The most frequent ADRs of special interest with empagliflozin as monotherapy or combination therapy were urinary tract infections (0.82% and 1.14% of patients, respectively) and excessive/frequent urination (0.65%, 1.50%). At last observation, glycated hemoglobin level was reduced by a mean of 0.78% with empagliflozin monotherapy (from baseline mean of 7.55%) and 0.74% with combination therapy (baseline 8.16%).

CONCLUSIONS

Empagliflozin is well tolerated and effective in clinical practice in Japan when initiated as monotherapy or combination therapy.

Federated analyses of multiple data sources in drug safety studies

PURPOSE

Studies of rare side effects of new drugs with limited exposure may require pooling of multiple data sources. Federated Analyses (FA) allow real-time, interactive, centralized statistical processing of individual-level data from different data sets without transfer of sensitive personal data.

METHODS

We review IT-architecture, legal considerations, and statistical methods in FA, based on a Swedish Medical Products Agency methodological development project.

RESULTS

In a review of all post-authorisation safety studies assessed by the EMA during 2019, 74% (20/27 studies) reported issues with lack of precision in spite of mean study periods of 9.3 years. FA could potentially improve precision in such studies. Depending on the statistical model, the federated approach can generate identical results to a standard analysis. FA may be particularly attractive for repeated collaborative projects where data is regularly updated. There are also important limitations. Detailed agreements between involved parties are strongly recommended to anticipate potential issues and conflicts, document a shared understanding of the project, and fully comply with legal obligations regarding ethics and data protection. FA do not remove the data harmonisation step, which remains essential and often cumbersome. Reliable support for technical integration with the local server architecture and security solutions is required. Common statistical methods are available, but adaptations may be required.

CONCLUSIONS

Federated Analyses require competent and active involvement of all collaborating parties but have the potential to facilitate collaboration across institutional and national borders and improve the precision of postmarketing drug safety studies.

Pharmacists' role in detection and evaluation of adverse drug reactions: Developing proactive systems for pharmacosurveillance

PURPOSE

To identify current challenges in detection of medication-related symptoms, and review technology-based opportunities to increase the patient-centeredness of postmarketing pharmacosurveillance to promote more accountable, safer, patient-friendly, and equitable medication prescribing.

SUMMARY

Pharmacists have an important role to play in detection and evaluation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The pharmacist's role in medication management should extend beyond simply dispensing drugs, and this article delineates the rationale and proactive approaches for pharmacist detection and assessment of ADRs. We describe a stepwise approach for assessment, best practices, and lessons learned from a pharmacist-led randomized trial, the CEDAR (Calling for Detection of Adverse Drug Reactions) project.

CONCLUSION

Health systems need to be redesigned to more fully utilize health information technologies and pharmacists in detecting and responding to ADRs.

Safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin and linagliptin fixed-dose combination therapy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: final results of a one-year post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND

Fixed-dose combination (FDC) of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor empagliflozin and the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin was approved for type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment in Japan in 2018. We conducted a post-marketing surveillance study of empagliflozin/linagliptin FDC in routine clinical practice in Japan.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This one-year, prospective, multicenter, observational study investigated the safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin/linagliptin FDC in Japanese patients with T2D. The primary outcome was incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

RESULTS

Among 1146 patients, mean (SD) age was 63.8 (12.8) years and 22.08% were aged ≥75 years. Mean (SD) glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 7.66% (1.21); fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was 142.90 mg/dl (43.75). ADRs were experienced by 32 (2.79%) patients (1 serious ADR); ADRs of important identified risk included urinary tract infection (7 patients [0.61%]), hypoglycemia (2 [0.17%]), ketoacidosis (0), genital infection (1 [0.09%]), and volume depletion (1 [0.09%]). Overall mean (SD) change from baseline in body weight, HbA1c, and FPG were -1.08 kg (3.21), -0.39% (1.11), and -7.90 mg/dl (39.12), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Empagliflozin/linagliptin FDC was effective and generally well tolerated in Japanese patients with T2D; no new safety concerns were identified.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (CT.gov identifier: NCT03761797) [Figure: see text] [Figure: see text].

Post-marketing surveillance for the safety of the 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine: a retrospective real-world study in China

BACKGROUND

The 9-valent human papillomavirus (9vHPV) vaccine was introduced in China in 2018. This study was conducted to monitor the occurrence of new-onset autoimmune diseases (AIs) in Chinese women vaccinated with the 9vHPV vaccine and adverse pregnancy outcomes in infants born to mothers with inadvertent pregnancy exposure.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Women who received the first dose of the 9vHPV vaccine at age 16-26 years in Ningbo between January 2019 and March 2021 were monitored in the Ningbo Regional Health Information Platform. New-onset cases of seven pre-specified AIs diagnosed within six months after vaccination were collected. Cases of stillbirth and 23 major congenital anomalies diagnosed within three months of birth in target infants were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 102,670 doses of the 9vHPV vaccine were administered to 41,609 women who had received no other HPV vaccine. New-onset AIs were diagnosed in 36 women, comprising 21 Hashimoto's, 11 Graves', and 4 uveitis disease cases. Among 50 women with maternal vaccination exposure, no stillbirths were observed. One case of microtia was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In this first post-marketing surveillance of the 9vHPV vaccine in China, no safety signals were identified when putting the results in context to published data.

Long-term safety and effectiveness of vonoprazan for prevention of gastric and duodenal ulcer recurrence in patients on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Japan: a 12-month post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the safety and effectiveness of vonoprazan for prevention of duodenal and gastric ulcer recurrence in patients on long-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in routine clinical practice.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This 12-month, prospective, observational study (145 sites, Japan, September 2016-April 2020) analyzed patients with a history of gastric or duodenal ulcer who started once-daily vonoprazan and were receiving NSAIDs for pain or low-dose aspirin for thrombosis/embolism suppression. The primary outcome was the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

RESULTS

Most patients (86.7% [1099/1268]) received vonoprazan for at least 6 months. Most patients (98.6% [1250/1268]) received the 10-mg dose of vonoprazan, 38.3% (486/1268) received cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, and 61.7% (782/1268) received other NSAIDs. The overall incidence of ADRs was 0.71% (9/1268). Most commonly reported ADRs were gastrointestinal (0.32%), nervous system (0.16%), and hepatobiliary system (0.16%) disorders. The overall incidence of gastric or duodenal ulcer recurrence was 1.04% (95% CI 0.56-1.78).

CONCLUSIONS

No new safety concerns were reported for vonoprazan for prevention of secondary ulcer or bleeding in patients receiving long-term NSAIDs. Vonoprazan was effective for preventing NSAID-related peptic ulcer recurrence in this real-world study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03214198; Japan Pharmaceutical Information Center Clinical Trials Information: JapicCTI-163436.

Safety and Effectiveness of Baricitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Japanese Clinical Practice: 24-Week Results of All-Case Post-Marketing Surveillance

OBJECTIVES

To assess safety and effectiveness of baricitinib treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in real-world clinical practice.

METHODS

This ongoing all-case post-marketing surveillance study (starting September 2017) includes all patients with RA treated with baricitinib in Japan. Safety and effectiveness (disease activity) were assessed for 24 weeks.

RESULTS

Safety analyses to February 2021 included 4731 patients (initial baricitinib dose: 4 mg/day, n=3058; 2 mg/day, n=1661; other, n=12); 1059 (22.38%) were ≥75 years, and 3362 (71.06%) previously received biologic therapy. Overall observational period was 1863.14 patient-years; 1174 (24.82%) patients discontinued baricitinib before Week 24, mostly for lack of effectiveness (n=478; 10.10%). Adverse events occurred in 1271 (26.87%) patients (serious: 203 [4.29%]; death: 18 [0.38%]). The incidence of herpes zoster, hepatic function disorder, and serious infection was 3.09%, 2.77%, and 1.90%, respectively. Malignancy occurred in 17 patients (0.36%) and major adverse cardiovascular events in seven patients (0.15%). Among patients with effectiveness data, at least 26.57% (Boolean) achieved remission at Week 24.

CONCLUSIONS

This large nationwide surveillance study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of 24 weeks of baricitinib for RA in real-world clinical practice. Continued surveillance of long-term safety is ongoing.

Long-term safety and effectiveness of linagliptin by baseline body mass index in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: a 3-year post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND

A recent 3-year post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study reaffirmed the safety and effectiveness of linagliptin in linagliptin-naïve Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We present further analyses from this study by body mass index (BMI).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Safety and effectiveness were assessed across BMI subgroups (<25, 25 to <30, and ≥30 kg/m²).

RESULTS

Data were available for 876, 566, and 201 patients in the BMI subgroups, respectively. Incidence of adverse drug reactions [ADR] with linagliptin was 11.42%, 11.31%, 10.45%, respectively. The most common ADR of special interest was hepatic disorders (n [%]: 6 [0.68], 7 [1.24] and 3 [1.49], respectively). Additional use of glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) increased with BMI (15.0%, 19.1%, 24.4% of patients; P < 0.001). In the overall population, a sustained decrease in HbA1c was observed in all BMI subgroups. In patients receiving linagliptin with no additional GLDs, changes in HbA1c were -0.58%±0.04, -0.62%±0.04, and -0.77%±0.11.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study of linagliptin in Japanese patients with T2D, across BMI subgroups no new safety concerns were observed. The proportion of patients with additional GLD use increased with baseline BMI. Decreases in HbA1c were observed in all subgroups, including in patients with no additional GLD use.

CLINICALTRIALS.GOV

NCT01650259.

Safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin according to body mass index in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: a subgroup analysis of a 3-year post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND

Empagliflozin, a glucose-lowering drug licensed for type 2 diabetes (T2D), demonstrated tolerability and effectiveness overall in a post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study in Japan. However, the impact of body mass index (BMI) is unclear.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a prespecified sub-analysis of the prospective, 3-year, PMS study of empagliflozin in Japan where the primary endpoint was adverse drug reactions (ADRs). We evaluated results according to BMI.

RESULTS

We enrolled 7931 T2D patients treated with empagliflozin. Baseline mean age was 58.7 years; 63.01% were male. Baseline BMI was <20 kg/m² in 2.06% of patients, while 21.28%, 37.35%, and 24.97% had BMI 20-<25, 25-<30 and ≥30 kg/m², respectively. ADRs occurred in 19 (11.66%), 203 (12.03%), 411 (13.88%), and 295 (14.90%) patients with BMI <20, 20-<25, 25-<30 and ≥30 kg/m², respectively. Excessive/frequent urination was the most frequent ADR of special interest in all BMI subgroups except 20-<25 kg/m² (urinary tract infection). Mean change in glycated hemoglobin from baseline was -0.75%, with similar magnitude across BMI subgroups. Body-weight reduction seemed dependent on BMI, with almost no change in the <20 kg/m² subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

Empagliflozin appeared well tolerated and effective in Japanese T2D patients regardless of BMI, although the number of patients with BMI <20 kg/m² was small in this study.

Safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: final results of a 3-year post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND

Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor, was licensed for treating type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Japan and elsewhere in recent years. We conducted a post-marketing surveillance study of empagliflozin in Japan.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a 3-year, prospective, multicenter, observational study of the safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin in T2D patients in Japanese clinical practice who had not previously received this medication. The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

RESULTS

Of 8145 patients enrolled from 1103 sites, 7931 received ≥1 dose of empagliflozin. Mean age was 58.7 years (10.5% aged ≥75), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 8.0%, body mass index 28.1 kg/m² (<20 kg/m² in 2.1%); 63.0% were male and most had comorbidities (renal impairment in ~62%). Median treatment duration was 36.5 months. ADRs occurred in 1024 (12.91%) patients overall (serious ADRs in 2.09%) and 120 patients aged ≥75 years (14.46%). ADRs of special interest included hypoglycemia (0.44% of patients), urinary tract infections (1.07%), genital infections (0.66%), volume depletion (0.50%), diabetic ketoacidosis (0%), and lower limb amputation (0.04%). Overall mean change in HbA1c from baseline was -0.75%.

CONCLUSIONS

Empagliflozin is effective and generally well tolerated in Japanese patients, and ADRs are consistent with its known safety profile.

Safety and Effectiveness of Varenicline in Korean Smokers: A Nationwide Post-Marketing Surveillance Study

PURPOSE

Varenicline has demonstrated its safety and efficacy in Western studies including <3% of Asian participants. This prospective multi-center observational study investigated the safety and effectiveness of varenicline in Korean smokers.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Smokers prescribed varenicline for the first time were enrolled from 252 medical institutions. Investigators recorded and graded all adverse events (AEs). To assess the effectiveness of varenicline, the 7-day point prevalence (PP) of smoking cessation was evaluated at the four visits during the 12-week treatment course. Rates of AE incidence and smoking cessation were analyzed using Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00483002.

RESULTS

A total of 3719 and 3700 study subjects were included in the safety and effectiveness analyses, respectively. Overall, 346 (9.3%) subjects experienced 471 AEs: 358 mild, 97 moderate, 9 severe, and 7 serious. The most frequent AEs were nausea (5.1%), dyspepsia (0.8%), abnormal dreams (0.8%), insomnia (0.8%), and headache (0.7%). Among the subjects with AEs, 73 subjects discontinued treatment, of which 68 were due to AE occurrence. The 7-day PP of smoking cessation at weeks 1-2, 3-6, 7-10, and ≥ week 11 were 51.7% (387/749), 59.6% (1740/2922), 73.3% (1114/1520), and 77.0% (1116/1449), respectively (p for trend = 0.023). Comorbidities and allergies were associated with a higher incidence of AEs and lower smoking cessation rate (p < 0.05). Younger subjects, infrequent alcohol drinkers, and lighter smokers showed a higher smoking cessation rate (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Varenicline in adult Korean smokers was well tolerated and effective as a smoking cessation aid in routine clinical practice.

Autoimmunity and long-term safety and efficacy of alemtuzumab for multiple sclerosis: Benefit/risk following review of trial and post-marketing data

Does preexisting or treatment-emergent autoimmunity increase the risk of subsequent autoimmune disease in individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) after alemtuzumab? In the extended phase 2/3 trials, 34/96 (35.4%) patients with and 395/1120 (35.3%) without preexisting autoimmunity developed non-MS autoimmunity. Thyroid autoimmunity after alemtuzumab courses 1 or 2 did not increase subsequent non-thyroid autoimmune adverse events. Therefore, autoimmune disease before or after alemtuzumab treatment does not predict autoimmunity after further courses, so should not preclude adequate alemtuzumab dosing to control MS. Finally, post-marketing safety data contribute toward a full record of the alemtuzumab benefit/risk profile for the MS field.

Global adverse events reported for direct-acting antiviral therapies for the treatment of hepatitis C: an analysis of the World Health Organization VigiBase

BACKGROUND

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have transformed the treatment of hepatitis C infection (HCV) globally. Exploratory studies to identify potential rare adverse drug events associated with DAAs to optimize their use are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to describe the most common serious DAA-associated adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports overall and by DAA regimen.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of post-market ADRs associated with DAA therapy using VigiBase, the global database of the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring. Reports occurring between 2013 and 2020 in which an eligible DAA brand or regimen was reported as the suspect drug were included and described. Reports of concomitant ribavirin or interferon use were excluded. The top 25 events for all reports where the outcome was indicated as 'serious' or 'life-threatening' were described overall and by drug regimen.

RESULTS

We identified 56 636 global ADR reports [45% women, 38% ledipasvir/sofosbuvir use, 67% from USA/Canada, average patient age 57 (SD 13) years]. Overall, 3.8% of reports described a life-threatening event or death. Unexpected ADRs included major pulmonary (dyspnea, pneumonia, and respiratory failure) and cardiac (myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest) events.

COMMENT

When examining all serious ADRs for DAAs globally, unexpected pulmonary and cardiac events were identified and may be of interest for further research on DAA safety. Future studies must examine population-level risk of ADRs for DAA therapies while accounting for confounding by indication, comorbidities, and stage of HCV disease.

Drug Induced Liver Injury: Perspective of the Adverse Drug Reaction Reports to the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance System from 2010 to 2019

BACKGROUND

Drug induced liver injury (DILI) is an adverse drug reaction that causes liver damage in a predictable (dose-dependent) or an unpredictable (idiosyncratic) fashion. We performed an assessment of DILI in Portugal, by analyzing the reports, sent to the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance System (PPS).

METHODS

A search was performed on the PPS database, in a 10-year time frame, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2019.

RESULTS

There was not a prevalence of either sex in any age group. Most reports (n = 1120, 55.0%) belonged to patients in the age group 19-64 years old. Hepatitis (n = 626, 26.7%) was the most common adverse drug reaction in our study. Hepatotoxicity (n = 362, 15.5%) and hepatitis (n = 333, 14.2%) were more frequent in age group 19-64 years old. Cholestasis was more prevalent in adults independently of age. Hepatic fibrosis and encephalopathy were more common in the elderly. Most patients consumed between one and four suspected drugs (n = 1867, 92%). Most patients in our study evolved to "cure" (n = 796; 39%). Hepatotoxicity (n = 23; 13.8%) and hepatitis (n = 610; 25.9%) had a female predominancy while choluria (n = 8; 4.8%) and splenomegaly (n = 8; 4.8%) were of male predominance.

CONCLUSIONS

DILI is rare but can be fatal. As such, an active search of DILI is necessary.

Prospective observational study of the efficacy of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced melanoma (CREATIVE study)

Background

Nivolumab, the anti-programmed cell death protein 1 antibody, has been approved for advanced melanoma, mainly based on evidence from Western countries. The profile of melanoma differs between Caucasian and Asian patients. This study was performed to obtain post-marketing data of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced melanoma.

Methods

This prospective, observational study involved patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma treated with nivolumab at dosages of 2 mg/kg every 3 weeks or 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks. The primary endpoints were objective response rate and overall survival. The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival and the objective response rate according to immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours.

Result

Among 124 patients analysed, mucosal melanoma was the most common subtype, followed by acral lentiginous, nodular, superficial spreading and lentigo maligna melanoma. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours evaluation showed an objective response rate of 17.7%. The median survival time was 15.93 months, and the 1-year overall survival rate was 66%. Outcomes were not significantly different among melanoma subtypes. Better overall survival and/or progression-free survival but not objective response rate were associated with performance status 0, lower levels of lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Patients with immune-related adverse events showed a better objective response rate, 3-month landmark overall survival and progression-free survival than patients without immune-related adverse events.

Conclusion

The objective response rate and median survival time in Japanese patients treated with nivolumab were lower in daily practice than the >30% and >30 months, respectively, seen in global phase III trials. The occurrence of immune-related adverse events may be a predictor for survival and response to treatment with nivolumab.

Postmarketing observational study of pazopanib in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma in Japan

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of pazopanib in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma in routine clinical use in Japan.

METHODS

It was a multicentre, centrally registered and uncontrolled observational study in patients who received pazopanib for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma, with an observation period of 1 year after the start of drug administration. The study was conducted at 378 investigational sites in Japan from September 2012 to September 2019. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the efficacy endpoints of the study.

RESULTS

A total of 1970 patients were enrolled. Of these, 680 with finalized study forms were included in the analysis. Overall, 649 patients were included in the safety analysis set, and 569 were included in the efficacy analysis set. Most of the patients (81.97%) experienced at least one adverse drug reaction (ADR); 22.34% of patients reported serious ADRs and 34.98% of patients experienced grade ≥ 3 ADRs in the safety set. Hypertension (40.37%) and hepatic dysfunction (26.50%) were the two most common ADRs. A total of 262 deaths were reported, of which 12 were due to ADRs. The median PFS was 3.09 months, whereas the median OS was not reached at the end of the 1-year observation period.

CONCLUSIONS

The safety and efficacy profiles in this postmarketing observational study were consistent with prior data and registration clinical trials. No new safety signals were observed while treating patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma with pazopanib.

Analysis of completeness for spontaneous reporting of disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis

Introduction: Considering the need for effective postmarketing surveillance of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in multiple sclerosis (MS), we analyzed the potential of the spontaneous reports for safety signal detection, verifying the completeness of the reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).Methods: All reports with DMTs for MS considered the primary suspect cause of ADRs and registered between January 2004 and June 2019 were selected. The vigiGrade completeness score was applied and reports with a score greater than 0.80 were considered well documented. Descriptive statistical analysis and comparisons of well-documented reports by DMTs were performed.Results: A total of 297,926 reports were analyzed. The lowest completeness rates were observed for type of report (13.5%), dose (62.7%), and time from treatment start to the ADR (79.0%). Overall, 80.8% of reports were classified as well documented and those related to natalizumab had the highest proportion (92.4%, p < 0.001), while the lowest was observed for reports sent in 2017 (53.1%, p < 0.001) and for teriflunomide (48.5%, p < 0.001).Conclusions: The high proportion of well-documented reports for DMTs indicates that they can be a valuable source for safety signal detection. A more careful analysis should be performed for data from the groups identified with low completeness to avoid the disclosure of spurious results.

Real-World Use of Generic Meropenem: Results of an Observational Study

Background: To determine the therapeutic effect and tolerability of meropenem in routine clinical practice, in terms of clinical and microbiological response. Methods: A real-world, observational, descriptive, longitudinal study with daily monitoring of clinical history records was conducted on all patients who were medically prescribed meropenem during a period between October 2015 and March 2016 at a university hospital in Bucaramanga (Colombia). Results: The study evaluated 84 patients with an average age of 63.2 years, mostly older adults with multiple comorbidities, of whom 54.8% were men. A positive clinical or microbiological response was obtained in 98.8% of the patients. At the end of the treatments, significant improvements in dysthermia (0% vs. 29% at the beginning, p = 0.000), tachycardia (13% vs. 47%, p = 0.049), and leukocytosis (39% vs. 15% at the beginning, p = 0.008) were evidenced. The improvement in the indicator that combines all the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria was also significant (p = 0.000). The treatment was well tolerated, although we identified some non-serious and expected adverse reactions. Conclusions: Generic meropenem proved to be effective and well tolerated for different types of infection in routine clinical practice. The results are consistent with the findings of the clinical studies with the innovator drug.

Long-term safety and effectiveness of linagliptin as add-on therapy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: final results of a 3-year post-marketing surveillance

BACKGROUND

We investigated the long-term safety and effectiveness of linagliptin in Japanese type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients starting linagliptin add-on therapy in routine clinical practice.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This 3-year prospective, observational, post-marketing surveillance (PMS) was conducted in Japanese patients starting linagliptin add-on therapy. The primary outcome was the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The secondary outcome was the change from baseline in HbA1c.

RESULTS

The safety analysis set comprised of 3,372 patients. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 66.5 ± 12.4 years. Most patients (63.2%) received linagliptin in combination with another antidiabetic drug, most commonly a sulfonylurea (38.6%). The incidence of ADRs was 11.39%; the most common ADRs according to MedDRA preferred terms were diabetes mellitus (1.25%), hypertension (0.83%), and hypoglycemia (0.80%). In the effectiveness analysis set (n = 3,029), mean ± SD HbA1c was 7.76 ± 1.37% at baseline and 7.26 ± 1.19% at last observation; mean change from baseline to last observation was - 0.49 ± 1.33%; sustained reductions in HbA1c were observed. These results were consistent across patient subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this PMS, linagliptin add-on therapy for Japanese T2D patients had a safety profile consistent with its known profile and HbA1c reductions over 3 years were observed.

CLINICALTRIALS.GOV

NCT01904383.

Safety and effectiveness of riociguat for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in real-world clinical practice: interim data from post-marketing surveillance in Japan

This multicenter, prospective, non-interventional study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02117791) evaluated the safety and effectiveness of riociguat for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in Japanese clinical practice, registering all patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension treated with riociguat following its launch in Japan in April 2014. Safety was assessed by analyzing the adverse drug reactions. Effectiveness measurements included the assessment of change in World Health Organization functional class, six-minute walk test, and hemodynamics. Overall, 1031 patients were included in the safety analysis with 811 (78.7%) patients in World Health Organization functional class II/III. The mean treatment duration was 591.4 days (median 441.0 days). Adverse drug reactions were reported in 19.5% of patients, the most common being hypotension (5.9%), headache (3.0%), dizziness (1.9%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (1.5%). Serious adverse drug reactions were reported in 2.1% of patients. Estimated survival was 97.0% at one year, 95.8% at two years, and 94.4% at three years. The effectiveness analysis (n = 1027) showed significant increases from baseline in six-minute walking distance, and significant reductions from baseline in mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. These interim results of riociguat in Japanese patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension demonstrated a safety profile that was generally consistent with those of pivotal clinical studies. The study is ongoing, and will continue to provide insights into the safety and effectiveness of riociguat in real-world practice.

The use of isotretinoin for acne - an update on optimal dosing, surveillance, and adverse effects

INTRODUCTION

Acne is a chronic, inflammatory, and immune mediated disease of pilosebaceous unit, highly prevalent in adolescents. It involves face, trunk, and back; may leave scars and affect quality of life. Early, effective, and safe treatment is the key for disease resolution. Oral isotretinoin is the unique treatment for cure or prolonged remission for moderate and severe acne, preventing psychosocial impact and scars. It inhibits sebaceous glands activity and has anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties.

AREAS COVERED

We performed a comprehensive literature search on PubMed database, up to March 2020, regarding oral isotretinoin for acne treatment. We synthetized data about acne pathogenesis and mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of isotretinoin.

EXPERT OPINION

This drug is effective, despite common, controllable, and reversible mucocutaneous side effects. Serious adverse events are rare and represent individual reactions. Teratogenicity is the most severe, requiring rigorous control. We believe that no other therapeutic option, even topicals combined to oral antibiotics accomplish same results. Recurrence after treatments other than isotretinoin is the rule, prolonging risk of scars, compromising skin appearance, and causing emotional distress in teenagers. If there is no absolute contraindication, isotretinoin should be the first line treatment for moderate to severe inflammatory acne.

Effectiveness and safety of insulin glargine 300 unit/mL in Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a 12-month post-marketing surveillance study (X-STAR study)

BACKGROUND

With limited real-world insulin glargine 300 unit/mL (Gla-300) data available, we assessed the effectiveness and safety of Gla-300 in the Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) population.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

X-STAR was a prospective, observational, 12-month post-marketing study of Gla-300 from 2015 to 2018. T2DM patients received Gla-300 as the first insulin (insulin-naïve) or after treatment with another type of insulin (insulin-experienced).

RESULTS

We identified 1,227 insulin-naïve and 3,394 insulin-experienced patients. Insulin-naïve group increased the Gla-300 starting dose by 2.80 U/day during 12 months (7.49 to 10.29 U/day). Mean HbA1c reduced by 1.99% (9.82 to 7.83%), and 28.4% showed HbA1c < 7.0%. Insulin-experienced group had a baseline insulin dose of 14.86 U/day, which increased by 0.73 U/day. Mean HbA1c reduced by 0.18% (7.99 to 7.81%), and 24.6% showed HbA1c < 7.0%. Adverse drug reactions occurred in 3.42% (insulin-naïve) and 4.45% (insulin-experienced); symptomatic hypoglycemia (2.93% and 3.86%, respectively) was the most common in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Gla-300, in clinical practice, provides an effective and safe therapy as HbA1c was reduced/maintained in insulin-naïve/experienced Japanese T2DM patients without new safety signal. This study provides insights into the current Japanese clinical practices where insulin use is delayed and conservative despite relatively low HbA1c achievement.

Updates on Vaccine Safety and Post-Licensure Surveillance for Adverse Events Following Immunization in South Korea, 2005-2017

PURPOSE

Vaccine hesitancy is among the top ten threats to global health, and access to precise data on adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) is imperative to alleviate public concerns surrounding vaccines. This study aimed to present the overall trends of AEFIs reported in South Korea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated the trends of AEFIs using the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management-Korea Adverse Event Reporting System database between January 2005 and December 2017. AEFIs were classified into five categories to evaluate associations between vaccines and AEFIs through a case-non-case study: neurologic reactions, general systemic reactions, local reactions, allergic reactions, and others.

RESULTS

Among 54378 reported adverse events (AEs) associated with all vaccines approved in South Korea, more than half (56.7%) occurred following influenza vaccination, followed by the pneumococcal (11.6%) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines (5.0%). After immunization with most vaccines, general systemic reactions were most common, followed by local and neurologic reactions. Adjusted reporting odds ratios were calculated for all neurologic, general, local, and allergic reactions: of all vaccines, rotavirus [neurologic 2.43, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.25-2.62], BCG (general; 2.20, 95% CI, 1.91-2.53), BCG (local; 3.15, 95% CI, 2.69-3.68), and Japanese encephalitis (allergic 2.38, 95% CI, 1.98-2.87) vaccines showed the highest values.

CONCLUSION

The majority of reported AEFIs were non-serious and mostly general systemic reactions. Sufficient knowledge on the AEFIs would secure public confidence on the safety of vaccines, thereby reducing public health burden from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Drug Therapeutic Failures as a Cause of Admission to an Intensive Care Unit at a University Hospital

Objective

Drug therapeutic failures (TFs) are included in pharmacovigilance reporting, as some authors consider them a type of adverse drug reaction. Given their high frequency in Colombia, we studied their importance as a cause of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional observational study. Clinical records of patients who arrived at the emergency service of a third-care level university hospital were reviewed. Information was collected by a resident in clinical toxicology, and each case was validated and analyzed by a research team using the algorithm proposed by Vaca González and Schumock and Thornton criteria for preventability to evaluate the existence of possible medication errors.

Findings

In total, 697 clinical records were evaluated and 18 patients presented TFs (2.6%, 95% confidence interval 1.5%-4.1%) as the cause of admission to the ICU. The most frequent TFs were seizures (56%) and hypertension (28%). The most commonly associated medications were valproic acid (28%) and losartan (28%). Ten cases (56%) were associated with drug misuse and the same number of cases was preventable, according to Schumock and Thornton criteria.

Conclusion

This is the first study assessing TFs as a cause of admission to the ICU in the Colombian population. The frequency of TFs in our study was similar to that described in the literature; being the most common cause the inappropriate drug use, particularly for drugs with complex kinetics, such as antiepileptic drugs.

Safety and effectiveness of ipragliflozin in elderly versus non-elderly Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: 12 month interim results of the STELLA-LONG TERM study

Objective: STELLA-LONG TERM is an ongoing post-marketing surveillance study examining the safety and effectiveness of ipragliflozin in real-world clinical practice in Japan. This interim report of STELLA-LONG TERM examined the safety and effectiveness of ipragliflozin in non-elderly and elderly Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using data up to 12 months. Methods: Data from T2DM patients who were first prescribed ipragliflozin between July 2014 and October 2015 and whose 12 month data were locked by January 2018 were analyzed and compared between non-elderly (<65 years) and elderly patients (≥65 years). Results: The safety and efficacy analysis sets included 11,051 and 8788 patients, respectively. Elderly patients accounted for 28.6% (n = 3157) of the study population. The mean body mass index was 29.9 kg/m² and 26.8 kg/m², the percentage of patients with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <8.0% was 50.1% and 59.5%, and the percentage of patients with complications was 83.2% and 87.3% in the non-elderly and elderly groups, respectively. Mean HbA1c and body weight decreased significantly from baseline to 12 months in both age groups, regardless of baseline HbA1c and body weight (all p < .05). The incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was 14.8% and 14.2% and that of serious ADRs was 0.8% and 1.4% in non-elderly and elderly patients, respectively (p = .002 for serious ADRs). Conclusion: The incidence of serious ADRs was higher in elderly patients than non-elderly patients. Ipragliflozin was effective in both non-elderly and elderly patients with T2DM in the real-world clinical setting.

Safety and effectiveness of lusutrombopag in Japanese chronic liver disease patients with thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures: Interim results of a postmarketing surveillance

AIM

Lusutrombopag is approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in chronic liver disease patients undergoing invasive procedures. This real-world surveillance assesses the safety and effectiveness of lusutrombopag in Japan.

METHODS

This ongoing, multicenter, prospective, real-world surveillance is collecting data from case report forms between October 2016 and May 2021. Interim data up to September 2018 were used to evaluate safety (adverse events and adverse drug reactions [ADRs]) and effectiveness (proportion of patients avoiding preoperative platelet transfusion and change in platelet count from baseline).

RESULTS

The safety analysis set included 331 patients. The mean baseline platelet count was 46.2 ± 13.7 × 10⁹ /L. Of 377 invasive procedures, radiofrequency ablation (110 procedures, 29.2%) was the most frequent. The mean time from starting lusutrombopag treatment to invasive procedure was 12.3 days. Incidences of serious adverse events and ADRs were 8.76% and 3.32%, respectively. Six cases (1.81%) of portal vein thrombosis were considered serious adverse events; of these, four cases (1.21%) were classified as serious ADRs. Of 300 patients who underwent an invasive procedure (excluding those with platelet transfusion refractoriness), 282 (94.0%) avoided preoperative platelet transfusion. In patients with platelet measurements before and after lusutrombopag administration who did not undergo platelet transfusion, the mean maximum change in platelet count from baseline was 41.7 ± 31.4 × 10⁹ /L (range, -6 to 276; n = 286). All patients receiving second (n = 20) and third (n = 1) treatments avoided preoperative platelet transfusion without developing any ADRs.

CONCLUSIONS

This real-world surveillance further supports the safety and effectiveness of lusutrombopag in patients with chronic liver disease undergoing invasive procedures.

A comparison of opioid-involved fatalities captured in the National Poison Data System to data derived from US death certificate literal text

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study is to describe and compare the number and characteristics of opioid-involved fatal cases captured in the National Poison Data System (NPDS) and in US death certificates.

METHODS

NPDS, which collects data on all calls to US poison control centers, and Drug-Involved Mortality (DIM), which combines information from literal text of US death certificates and National Vital Statistics Systems, were queried for opioid-involved fatal cases from 2010 to 2015. Characteristics of the two case series were compared.

RESULTS

DIM contained 154 016 opioid-involved overdose deaths, and NPDS contained 2524 fatal opioid exposures, a ratio of 61:1. The number of opioid deaths remained stable in NPDS but increased in DIM over the 6-year period. On average, deaths involving opioids with higher mean dosage strength (in morphine milligram equivalents) per unit among dispensed prescriptions were more likely to be captured in DIM relative to NPDS, as compared with those with a lower mean dosage strength per unit. The increase in fentanyl-related deaths seen in DIM since 2013 was not observed in NPDS.

CONCLUSIONS

NPDS is a valuable drug safety surveillance resource due to its timeliness and drug specificity. However, it captures only a small fraction of opioid-involved fatal poisonings, and comparisons with data derived from death certificate literal text indicate that caution is warranted in making inferences about opioid-involved fatality trends over time or comparisons across opioids.

Barriers to the success of an electronic pharmacovigilance reporting system in Kenya: an evaluation three years post implementation

Objective

Electronic pharmacovigilance reporting systems are being implemented in many developing countries in an effort to improve reporting rates. This study sought to establish the factors that acted as barriers to the success of an electronic pharmacovigilance reporting system in Kenya 3 years after its implementation.

Materials and Methods

Factors that could act as barriers to using electronic reporting systems were identified in a review of literature and then used to develop a survey questionnaire that was administered to pharmacists working in government hospitals in 6 counties in Kenya.

Results

The survey was completed by 103 out of the 115 targeted pharmacists (89.5%) and included free-text comments. The key factors identified as barriers were: unavailable, unreliable, or expensive Internet access; challenges associated with a hybrid system of paper and electronic reporting tools; and system usability issues. Coordination challenges at the national pharmacovigilance center and changes in the structure of health management in the country also had an impact on the success of the electronic reporting system.

Discussion

Different personal, organizational, infrastructural, and reporting system factors affect the success of electronic reporting systems in different ways, depending on the context. Context-specific formative evaluations are useful in establishing the performance of electronic reporting systems to identify problems and ensure that they achieve the desired objectives.

Conclusion

While several factors hindered the optimal use of the electronic pharmacovigilance reporting system in Kenya, all were considered modifiable. Effort should be directed toward tackling the identified issues in order to facilitate use and improve pharmacovigilance reporting rates.

Evaluation of the US Food and Drug Administration sentinel analysis tools in confirming previously observed drug-outcome associations: The case of clindamycin and Clostridium difficile infection

PURPOSE

The Food and Drug Administration's Sentinel System developed parameterized, reusable analytic programs for evaluation of medical product safety. Research on outpatient antibiotic exposures, and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) with non-user reference groups led us to expect a higher rate of CDI among outpatient clindamycin users vs penicillin users. We evaluated the ability of the Cohort Identification and Descriptive Analysis and Propensity Score Matching tools to identify a higher rate of CDI among clindamycin users.

METHODS

We matched new users of outpatient dispensings of oral clindamycin or penicillin from 13 Data Partners 1:1 on propensity score and followed them for up to 60 days for development of CDI. We used Cox proportional hazards regression stratified by Data Partner and matched pair to compare CDI incidence.

RESULTS

Propensity score models at 3 Data Partners had convergence warnings and a limited range of predicted values. We excluded these Data Partners despite adequate covariate balance after matching. From the 10 Data Partners where these models converged without warnings, we identified 807 919 new clindamycin users and 8 815 441 new penicillin users eligible for the analysis. The stratified analysis of 807 769 matched pairs included 840 events among clindamycin users and 290 among penicillin users (hazard ratio 2.90, 95% confidence interval 2.53, 3.31).

CONCLUSIONS

This evaluation produced an expected result and identified several potential enhancements to the Propensity Score Matching tool. This study has important limitations. CDI risk may have been related to factors other than the inherent properties of the drugs, such as duration of use or subsequent exposures.

Challenges of post-authorization safety studies: Lessons learned and results of a French study of fentanyl buccal tablet

PURPOSE

Recruiting and retaining participants in real-world studies that collect primary data are challenging. This article illustrates these challenges using a post-authorization safety study (PASS) to assess adverse events (AEs) experienced with fentanyl buccal tablet (FBT) over 3 months of treatment.

METHODS

This was an observational, prospective, multicenter study in France conducted over 1 year. The study employed primary data collection in FBT-treated patients and their treating physicians via a site qualification questionnaire and patient log completed by physicians and a questionnaire and pain diary completed by patients. Strategies to increase participation included reminders, newsletters, frequent follow-up telephone calls, and reducing the extent of data collected.

RESULTS

Of the 1118 physicians contacted who returned the participation form or responded to a telephone call, only 128 expressed willingness to participate. Key reasons for non-participation were lack of interest (69.7%) and FBT not being used in practice by the contacted physician (25.1%). Overall, 224 patients were screened by 31 physicians, and 97 were enrolled. Key reasons for patient non-inclusion were unwillingness or inability to complete the patient AE diary or questionnaire (40.9% [52/127]) and patients' decision (33.9% [43/127]).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite efforts to increase participation, enrollment in this study was low. Recruitment and retention methods are limited in their capacity to optimally execute a primary data collection in a PASS. For a PASS to provide reliable and valid information on medication use, involvement from health care agencies, regulators, and pharmaceutical companies is needed to establish their importance, drive study participation, and reduce patient withdrawal.

A mathematical framework to quantify the masking effect associated with the confidence intervals of measures of disproportionality

BACKGROUND

The lower bound of the 95% confidence interval of measures of disproportionality (Lower95CI) is widely used in signal detection. Masking is a statistical issue by which true signals of disproportionate reporting are hidden by the presence of other medicines. The primary objective of our study is to develop and validate a mathematical framework for assessing the masking effect of Lower95CI.

METHODS

We have developed our new algorithm based on the masking ratio (MR) developed for the measures of disproportionality. A MR for the Lower95CI (MRCI) is proposed. A simulation study to validate this algorithm was also conducted.

RESULTS

We have established the existence of a very close mathematical relation between MR and MRCI. For a given drug-event pair, the same product will be responsible for the highest masking effect with the measure of disproportionality and its Lower95CI. The extent of masking is likely to be very similar across the two methods. An important proportion of identical drug-event associations affected by the presence of an important masking effect is revealed by the unmasking exercise, whether the proportional reporting ratio (PRR) or its confidence interval are used.

CONCLUSION

The detection of the masking effect of Lower95CI can be automated. The real benefits of this unmasking in terms of new true-positive signals (rate of true-positive/false-positive) or time gained by the revealing of signals using this method have not been fully assessed. These benefits should be demonstrated in the context of prospective studies.

Characterization of adverse drug reactions causing admission to an intensive care unit

AIMS

This study aimed to determine the occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that caused admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital.

METHODS

Clinical records were reviewed for patients meeting the inclusion criteria who were admitted to the ICU between September and December 2012. Suspected cases of ADRs were documented. Nine researchers later evaluated causality using the Naranjo Algorithm, preventability using the Schumock and Thornton criteria, and clinical classification based on the dose-time-susceptibility system.

RESULTS

In total, 96 patients presented 108 cases of ADR (13.8%, 95% confidence interval 11.2-16.4%) as the cause of admission. The most frequent ADRs were bradyarrhythmias and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (12%). Therapeutic failure accounted for 20%. The most commonly associated medications were acetylsalicylic acid (16%) and losartan (10%). Forty-six cases were categorized as possible, and only one as definite. According to the dose-time-susceptibility classification, in 82% of the cases, the dosage was collateral (within the therapeutic range), and 90% were independent of time; the factors most associated with susceptibility to ADRs were comorbidities (42%) and age (49%). Forty-four percent of the ADRs were considered possibly preventable.

CONCLUSIONS

ADRs contribute significantly to ICU admissions, and a significant number of ADRs are preventable. National studies are needed to assess their incidence and to establish classification standards to reduce their clinical impact.

Effectiveness of pharmacovigilance: multifaceted educational intervention related to the knowledge, skills and attitudes of multidisciplinary hospital staff

OBJECTIVES:

Most educational interventions in pharmacovigilance are designed to encourage physicians to report adverse drug reactions. However, multidisciplinary teams may play an important role in reporting drug-related problems. This study assessed the impact of a multifaceted educational intervention in pharmacovigilance on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of hospital professionals.

METHOD:

This prospective, open-label, non-randomized study was performed in a medium-complexity hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. The intervention involved four activities: 1) an interactive lecture, 2) a practical class, 3) a pre-post questionnaire administered to professionals on a multidisciplinary team, and 4) educational material. The intervention's impact on the professionals' knowledge and skills was assessed using the World Health Organization's definitions. The intervention's effect on the professionals' attitudes was analysed by the prevalence of adverse drug event reports (adverse drug reactions, medication errors, therapeutic failure and drug quality deviations) and the relevance (seriousness and expectancy) of the events.

RESULTS:

One hundred seventy-three professionals were enrolled. A 70-fold increase in the number of adverse drug event reports was observed during the 12 months post-intervention. The intervention improved the professionals' form-completion skills (p<0.0001) and their knowledge of pharmacovigilance (p<0.0001). The intervention also contributed to detecting serious drug-induced events. The nursing staff reported medication errors, and pharmacists and physiotherapists recognized serious adverse drug reactions. Physicians communicated suspicions of therapeutic failure.

CONCLUSIONS:

A multidisciplinary approach to drug-safety assessments contributes to identifying new, relevant drug-related problems and improving the rate of adverse drug event reporting. This strategy may therefore be applied to improve risk communication in hospitals.

Characteristics and follow-up of postmarketing studies of conditionally authorized medicines in the EU

AIM

The aim of the present study was to provide an insight into the characteristics and follow-up of postmarketing studies of medicines that were conditionally authorized in the European Union (EU).

METHODS

We compiled a list of all postmarketing studies attached as specific obligations to the licence of medicines that were granted conditional marketing authorization from January 2006 to April 2014. Studies were characterized based on their objective, design, status upon marketing authorization (MA) and due data set by authorities. They were linked to online study registrations (Clinicaltrials.gov, ENCePP) to determine completion date. We described and associated characteristics of studies and medicines, and determined whether studies were completed on time.

RESULTS

A total of 59 postmarketing studies were requested for 21 conditionally authorized medicines. Most studies had an interventional study design (73%), were ongoing upon MA (61%) and aimed to provide additional data on efficacy (45%). Interventional studies were more often ongoing and providing efficacy data, while observational and other studies were more often new and providing safety data. Frequent grounds for requesting postmarketing studies were 'long-term follow-up' and 'increase data on subpopulations'. Of the 34 studies eligible for follow-up analysis, 26 (76%) were completed and 17 (50%) completed on time. Actual completion time took a median (interquartile range) of 274 (-121 to 556) days longer than expected.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that most postmarketing studies attached to a conditional marketing authorization were eventually completed but that half were completed with a substantial delay. The observations suggest caution when broadening the use of postmarketing studies for resolving uncertainties about benefits and risks after MA.

Pediatric registries at the Food and Drug Administration: design aspects that increase their likelihood of success

PURPOSE

To determine aspects of the design of pediatric registries that contribute to the success of registries conducted as a postmarketing study following approval of drugs or biological products by the US Food and Drug Administration.

METHODS

Pediatric registries for drugs and biological products were identified by searching the US Food and Drug Administration Postmarketing Requirements and Commitments database. Based on the recruitment of patients, the meeting of predetermined deadlines, and the submission of data, we classified studies as successful, unsuccessful, or unevaluable. Design aspects of successful and unsuccessful registries were examined for commonalities.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight studies were identified, and ten registries met the criteria for successful. Four (40%) successful registries utilized a registry established prior to product approval, and six (60%) were disease-based. Among unsuccessful registries, none were disease-based or utilized a pre-existing registry.

CONCLUSIONS

Characteristics identified as more common to successful registries included utilizing a disease-based registry and a registry established prior to product approval. Future studies might examine a larger sample of registries to see if these aspects consistently result in successful studies. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Can Natural Language Processing Improve the Efficiency of Vaccine Adverse Event Report Review?

BACKGROUND

Individual case review of spontaneous adverse event (AE) reports remains a cornerstone of medical product safety surveillance for industry and regulators. Previously we developed the Vaccine Adverse Event Text Miner (VaeTM) to offer automated information extraction and potentially accelerate the evaluation of large volumes of unstructured data and facilitate signal detection.

OBJECTIVE

To assess how the information extraction performed by VaeTM impacts the accuracy of a medical expert's review of the vaccine adverse event report.

METHODS

The "outcome of interest" (diagnosis, cause of death, second level diagnosis), "onset time," and "alternative explanations" (drug, medical and family history) for the adverse event were extracted from 1000 reports from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) using the VaeTM system. We compared the human interpretation, by medical experts, of the VaeTM extracted data with their interpretation of the traditional full text reports for these three variables. Two experienced clinicians alternately reviewed text miner output and full text. A third clinician scored the match rate using a predefined algorithm; the proportion of matches and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Review time per report was analyzed.

RESULTS

Proportion of matches between the interpretation of the VaeTM extracted data, compared to the interpretation of the full text: 93% for outcome of interest (95% CI: 91-94%) and 78% for alternative explanation (95% CI: 75-81%). Extracted data on the time to onset was used in 14% of cases and was a match in 54% (95% CI: 46-63%) of those cases. When supported by structured time data from reports, the match for time to onset was 79% (95% CI: 76-81%). The extracted text averaged 136 (74%) fewer words, resulting in a mean reduction in review time of 50 (58%) seconds per report.

CONCLUSION

Despite a 74% reduction in words, the clinical conclusion from VaeTM extracted data agreed with the full text in 93% and 78% of reports for the outcome of interest and alternative explanation, respectively. The limited amount of extracted time interval data indicates the need for further development of this feature. VaeTM may improve review efficiency, but further study is needed to determine if this level of agreement is sufficient for routine use.

Improving postapproval drug safety surveillance: getting better information sooner

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are an important public health concern, accounting for 5% of all hospital admissions and two-thirds of all complications occurring shortly after hospital discharge. There are often long delays between when a drug is approved and when serious ADEs are identified. Recent and ongoing advances in drug safety surveillance include the establishment of government-sponsored networks of population databases, the use of data mining approaches, and the formal integration of diverse sources of drug safety information. These advances promise to reduce delays in identifying drug-related risks and in providing reassurance about the absence of such risks.

Combining multiple healthcare databases for postmarketing drug and vaccine safety surveillance: why and how?

A growing number of international initiatives (e.g. EU-ADR, Sentinel, OMOP, PROTECT and VAESCO) are based on the combined use of multiple healthcare databases for the conduct of active surveillance studies in the area of drug and vaccine safety. The motivation behind combining multiple healthcare databases is the earlier detection and validation, and hence earlier management, of potential safety issues. Overall, the combination of multiple healthcare databases increases statistical sample size and heterogeneity of exposure for postmarketing drug and vaccine safety surveillance, despite posing several technical challenges. Healthcare databases generally differ by underlying healthcare systems, type of information collected, drug/vaccine and medical event coding systems and language. Therefore, harmonization of medical data extraction through homogeneous coding algorithms across highly different databases is necessary. Although no standard procedure is currently available to achieve this, several approaches have been developed in recent projects. Another main challenge involves choosing the work models for data management and analyses whilst respecting country-specific regulations in terms of data privacy and anonymization. Dedicated software (e.g. Jerboa) has been produced to deal with privacy issues by sharing only anonymized and aggregated data using a common data model. Finally, storage and safe access to the data from different databases requires the development of a proper remote research environment. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the potential, disadvantages, methodological issues and possible solutions concerning the conduct of postmarketing multidatabase drug and vaccine safety studies, as demonstrated by several international initiatives.

Possible adverse drug events leading to hospital admission in a Brazilian teaching hospital

OBJECTIVES

Drug safety problems can lead to hospital admission. In Brazil, the prevalence of hospitalization due to adverse drug events is unknown. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of hospitalization due to adverse drug events and to identify the drugs, the adverse drug events, and the risk factors associated with hospital admissions.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was performed in the internal medicine ward of a teaching hospital in São Paulo State, Brazil, from August to December 2008. All patients aged ≥18 years with a length of stay ≥24 hours were interviewed about the drugs used prior to hospital admission and their symptoms/complaints/causes of hospitalization.

RESULTS

In total, 248 patients were considered eligible. The prevalence of hospitalization due to potential adverse drug events in the ward was 46.4%. Overprescribed drugs and those indicated for prophylactic treatments were frequently associated with possible adverse drug events. Frequently reported symptoms were breathlessness (15.2%), fatigue (12.3%), and chest pain (9.0%). Polypharmacy was a risk factor for the occurrence of possible adverse drug events.

CONCLUSION

Possible adverse drug events led to hospitalization in a high-complexity hospital, mainly in polymedicated patients. The clinical outcomes of adverse drug events are nonspecific, which delays treatment, hinders causality analysis, and contributes to the underreporting of cases.

Alleged isotretinoin-associated inflammatory bowel disease: disproportionate reporting by attorneys to the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System

BACKGROUND

Some studies have purported to link isotretinoin prescribed for acne with the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

OBJECTIVE

We sought to identify existence of disproportionate attorney-initiated reporting of isotretinoin-associated IBD in the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

METHODS

A total of 3,338,835 cases (2003-2011) were downloaded from the FAERS. These were queried for IBD cases reported with isotretinoin for a usage indication of acne while recording reporter category. Trends were analyzed over time for reports by attorneys for all medications compared with reports of IBD with isotretinoin. Signal inflation factor was calculated to determine the distortion of pharmacovigilance signals for IBD with isotretinoin.

RESULTS

There were 2214 cases of IBD resulting from isotretinoin. Attorneys reported 1944 (87.8%) cases whereas physicians reported 132 (6.0%) and consumers reported 112 (5.1%) cases (P value < .01). For the entire FAERS, only 87,905 of the total 2,451,314 (3.6%) reports for all drug reactions during the same time period were reported by attorneys (P value < .01). The signal inflation factor for IBD with isotretinoin for attorney-initiated reports was 5.82, signifying a clear distortion.

LIMITATIONS

The accuracy of reports was not ascertained.

CONCLUSIONS

Attorney-initiated reports inflate the pharmacovigilance signal of isotretinoin-associated IBD in the FAERS.