Citations

ObjectiveExamine the effects of obesity and metabolic syndrome on outcome in bipolar disorder.MethodThe Comparative Effectiveness of a Second Generation Antipsychotic Mood Stabilizer and a Classic Mood Stabilizer for Bipolar Disorder (Bipolar CHOICE) study randomized 482 participants with bipolar disorder in a 6‐month trial comparing lithium‐ and quetiapine‐based treatment. Baseline variables were compared between groups with and without obesity, with and without abdominal obesity, and with and without metabolic syndrome respectively. The effects of baseline obesity, abdominal obesity, and metabolic syndrome on outcomes were examined using mixed effects linear regression models.ResultsAt baseline, 44.4% of participants had obesity, 48.0% had abdominal obesity, and 27.3% had metabolic syndrome; neither obesity, nor abdominal obesity, nor metabolic syndrome were associated with increased global severity, mood symptoms, or suicidality, or with poorer functioning or life satisfaction. Treatment groups did not differ on prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity, or metabolic syndrome. By contrast, among the entire cohort, obesity was associated with less global improvement and less improvement in total mood and depressive symptoms, suicidality, functioning, and life satisfaction after 6 months of treatment. Abdominal obesity was associated with similar findings. Metabolic syndrome had no effect on outcome.ConclusionObesity and abdominal obesity, but not metabolic syndrome, were associated with less improvement after 6 months of lithium‐ or quetiapine‐based treatment.

Abstract Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are common in dementia and in predementia syndromes such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). NPS in MCI confer a greater risk for conversion to dementia in comparison to MCI patients without NPS. NPS in older adults with normal cognition also confers a greater risk of cognitive decline in comparison to older adults without NPS. Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) has been proposed as a diagnostic construct aimed to identify patients with an increased risk of developing dementia, but who may or may not have cognitive symptoms. We propose criteria that include MCI in the MBI framework, in contrast to prior definitions of MBI. Although MBI and MCI can co‐occur, we suggest that they are different and that both portend a higher risk of dementia. These MBI criteria extend the previous literature in this area and will serve as a template for validation of the MBI construct from epidemiologic, neurobiological, treatment, and prevention perspectives.

SummaryBackgroundCertolizumab pegol (CZP) is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐approved to treat Crohn's disease (CD). However, the efficacy and safety of CZP outside clinical trials are not well established.AimTo report the efficacy, safety and predictors of response to CZP in CD patients treated during a 6‐year period since FDA‐approval at a tertiary care centre.MethodsAll CD patients who received CZP at our institution between 2008 and 2013 were evaluated through retrospective medical record‐based review of steroid‐free complete response (SCR), loss of response and safety.ResultsA total of 358 patients were included. One hundred twelve patients (31.3%) and 189 (52.8%) received CZP as their second and third biological agent, respectively. The probability of SCR at 26 week was 19.9% (95% CI, 15.9–24.5). The probability of survival free of loss of response at 2 year was 45.7% (95% CI, 32.5–59.5). A predictor of SCR was age at CD diagnosis of >40 years old (hazard ratio, HR relative to those <17, 4.69; 95% CI, 1.75–12.61). Negative predictors included present perianal fistula (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.16–0.98) and prior primary nonresponse to adalimumab (ADA; HR relative to secondary loss of response, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.04–0.76). Twenty‐three patients (6.4%) experienced serious adverse events and 19 patients (5.3%) discontinued CZP due to adverse events.ConclusionsCertolizumab pegol was both effective and well tolerated for the treatment of Crohn's disease in this large tertiary care centre enriched with biologics‐exposed patients. It may be more effective in patients without early‐aged Crohn's disease diagnosis, prior primary nonresponse to adalimumab and present perianal fistula.

SummaryBackgroundCytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated protein‐4 (CTLA‐4) has an important role in T‐cell regulation, proliferation and tolerance. Anti‐CTLA‐4 agents, such as ipilimumab and tremelimumab, have been shown to prolong overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma, and their use is being investigated in the treatment of other malignancies. Their novel immunostimulatory mechanism, however, predisposes patients to immune‐related adverse effects, of which gastrointestinal effects such as diarrhoea and colitis are the most common.AimsTo discuss the existing literature and summarise the epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical features of anti‐CTLA‐4‐associated colitis, and to present a management algorithm for it.MethodsWe searched PubMed for studies published through October 2014 using the terms ‘anti‐CTLA,’ ‘ipilimumab,’ ‘tremelimumab,’ ‘colitis,’ ‘gastrointestinal,’ ‘immune‐related adverse effect,’ ‘immunotherapy,’ ‘melanoma,’ and ‘diarrhoea.’ResultsWatery diarrhoea is commonly associated with anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy (27–54%), and symptoms occur within a few days to weeks of therapy. Diffuse acute and chronic colitis are the most common findings on endoscopy (8–22%). Concomitant infectious causes of diarrhoea must be evaluated. Most cases may be successfully managed with discontinuation of anti‐CTLA‐4 and conservative therapy. Those with persistent grade 2 and grade 3/4 diarrhoea should undergo endoscopic evaluation and require corticosteroid therapy. Corticosteroid‐resistant cases may respond to anti‐tumour necrosis factor‐alpha therapy such as infliximab. Surgery is reserved for patients with bowel perforation or failure of medical therapy.ConclusionGiven the increasing use of anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy, clinicians must be aware of related adverse events and their management.

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of HIV infection with tenofovir-containing regimens is effective, but plagued by poor adherence in some studies. Options for safe, effective, and acceptable PrEP products, especially for men and women at risk of HIV via receptive anal intercourse (RAI), are needed. We performed a randomized, partially blinded, first-in-human evaluation of four candidate rectal microbicide vehicles—aqueous gel, aqueous fluid, lipid gel, and lipid fluid—to select a prototype for further clinical development. Eight seronegative participants received three doses of each product with each dose separated by at least 2 weeks: one dose was given alone without simulated RAI in clinic, another dose was followed by simulated RAI in clinic, and another dose was self-administered at home in the context of RAI with a partner. Assessments included safety, acceptability, colon histology, ex vivo HIV infectivity of colon tissue explants, and colonic luminal distribution of vehicle and HIV surrogates. Adverse events were all mild and mainly sigmoidoscopy associated. There were minor differences in colon distribution of products and little effect of RAI. Vehicle distribution covered 95% (±7% standard deviation) of the distribution of an HIV surrogate in the colonic lumen. The lipid fluid vehicle increased HIV colon tissue infectability 5-fold [log 10 p24 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.08, 1.28)] and aqueous gel provided 6-fold protection [log 10 p24 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.20, 1.41)] compared to no product baseline. Colon permeability of lipid vehicles was more than 10-fold greater than aqueous vehicles. All products received similar acceptability ratings, though trends favored the gel products. Intensive simultaneous assessment of safety and toxicity, luminal and tissue distribution, ex vivo HIV infectivity, and product acceptability in relevant sexual contexts provided clear differentiation among candidate gels very early in product development. We selected the aqueous gel for further development as a rectal microbicide vehicle.

SUMMARYBackgroundClinical factors were previously identified as predictors of short‐term treatment efficacy in Crohn's disease (CD). The PRECiSE 3 (P3) 7‐year trial provides an opportunity to study predictors of short‐ and long‐term clinical remission among CD patients treated with certolizumab pegol (CZP).AimTo identify factors that influence long‐term remission of CD with CZP treatment.MethodsPatients who had completed placebo‐controlled studies (PRECiSE 1/PRECiSE 2, P1/P2) enrolled in P3 and received open‐label CZP 400 mg every 4 weeks up to 7 years. Baseline predictors included, but were not limited to, smoking status, disease duration, prior inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) surgery, Harvey–Bradshaw Index (HBI), albumin, haematocrit and CZP exposure; association with time to initial remission (HBI ≤4) was tested for patients who received CZP in P1/P2; time to loss of remission/frequency of maintenance of remission was also tested. Univariate analyses and multivariate Cox or logistic regression models were used.ResultsPredictors for initial remission (N = 377) included age, haematocrit, prior IBD surgery and entry HBI (P < 0.05 for all). Predictors for loss of remission (N = 437) included HBI, serum albumin concentration, haematocrit, smoking status and exposure. Predictors of maintenance of remission (N = 437) included haematocrit, IBD surgery, HBI, disease duration, serum albumin concentration and exposure. Significant predictors were confirmed with stepwise multivariate regression models.ConclusionsThese analyses identified several influential parameters for short‐and long‐term remission of Crohn's disease with certolizumab pegol treatment. The data yield valuable hypotheses regarding factors that influence certolizumab pegol treatment. More investigation is needed.(ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00552058).