Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Jul 2016
ReviewConcordant and Discordant EGFR Mutations in Patients With Multifocal Adenocarcinomas: Implications for EGFR-Targeted Therapy.
Adenocarcinoma remains the most common subtype of lung cancer in the United States. Most patients present with tumors that are invasive and often metastatic, but in some patients, multiple precursor in situ or minimally invasive adenocarcinoma tumors develop that can be synchronous and metachronous. These precursor lesions harbor the same spectrum of genetic mutations found in purely invasive adenocarcinomas, such as EGFR, KRAS, and p53 mutations. It is less clear, however, whether separate lesions in patients who present with multifocal disease share common underlying genetic driver mutations. ⋯ Our findings suggest that the emergence of the dominant EGFR driver alteration is often independent between lesions in patients with multifocal adenocarcinomas, and thus the same targeted therapy may not be effective for all lesions. However, genetic testing of multiple lesions can help to distinguish separate primary tumors from metastatic disease.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jul 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialEvaluation of Crushed Tablet for Oral Administration and the Effect of Food on Apixaban Pharmacokinetics in Healthy Adults.
These studies evaluate the relative bioavailability of crushed apixaban tablets and the effect of food on apixaban pharmacokinetic properties. ⋯ Apixaban tablets can be administered crushed or whole, with or without food. The results of these alternative methods of administration support their use in patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT02101112 and NCT01437839.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jul 2016
Meta AnalysisEffect of Gabapentin Enacarbil on Individual Items of the International Restless Legs Study Group Rating Scale and Post-sleep Questionnaire in Adults with Moderate-to-Severe Primary Restless Legs Syndrome: Pooled Analysis of 3 Randomized Trials.
Few studies have investigated restless legs syndrome (RLS) treatment effects on individual International RLS Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS) items. We assessed the effects of gabapentin enacarbil (GEn) on individual IRLS items and their correlation with sleep disturbances in adults with moderate-to-severe primary RLS. ⋯ GEn significantly improved individual IRLS items and sleep disturbance versus placebo. Correlations between IRLS and PSQ items were moderate to strong. This was not a formal meta-analysis and was not powered to compare the GEn doses. Nevertheless, our study finds that the benefits of GEn extend to individual IRLS items and supports the importance of sleep quality in RLS treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00298623, NCT00365352, and NCT01332305.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jun 2016
EMPA-REG and Other Cardiovascular Outcome Trials of Glucose-lowering Agents: Implications for Future Treatment Strategies in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
During the last decade, the armamentarium for glucose-lowering drugs has increased enormously by the development of DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors, allowing individualization of antidiabetic therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Some combinations can now be used without an increased risk for severe hypoglycemia and weight gain. Following a request of the US Food and Drug Administration, many large cardiovascular (CV) outcome studies have been performed in patients with longstanding disease and established CV disease. ⋯ The recent IRIS (Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke) study documented a significant reduction in stroke and MI when pioglitazone instead of placebo was given to nondiabetic patients presenting with both stroke/transient ischemic attack and insulin resistance, confirming results from the PROactive (Prospective Pioglitazone Clinical Trial in Macrovascular Events) study in patients with T2DM. Based on these new data, we suggest that the addition of both empagliflozin and pioglitazone to metformin might be the relative best option to reduce the high CV morbidity and mortality of patients with T2DM and already established CV complications. The very recent announcement that the CV outcome study with liraglutide (LEADER) also demonstrated a significant reduction of the composite endpoint (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke) gives new hope for further beneficial treatment options for T2DM patients with established CVD.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jun 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEfficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Fulranumab as an Adjunctive Therapy in Patients With Inadequately Controlled, Moderate-to-Severe Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Dose-ranging, Dose-loading Phase II Study.
Fulranumab is an investigational, fully human recombinant monoclonal antibody (IgG2) that neutralizes the biological actions of human nerve growth factor. Low back pain is a common cause of noncancer chronic pain and represents one of the most significant socioeconomic health-related problems in developed countries. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the analgesic effect of fulranumab in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain. ⋯ Fulranumab did not demonstrate efficacy compared with placebo in patients with chronic low back pain but was generally well-tolerated. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00973024.