Neurological Manifestations Related to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Reverse Translational Research by Using the European Real-World Safety Data

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are widely used improving clinical outcomes in many cancer patients. However, they can induce serious consequences, like neurological immune-related adverse drug reactions (NirADRs). Although these are rare complications, they can be serious with important impact on patients’ quality of life. Our purpose is to describe these adverse events observed in the European clinical practice context. We carried out a descriptive analysis of individual case safety reports (ICSRs) related to ICIs collected until February 7, 2020, in the European spontaneous reporting database, EudraVigilance, and reported nervous disorders as suspect adverse drug reactions (ADRs). NirADRs were classified according to the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). In order to identify a hypothetical different reporting probability of the NirADR types between the ICI classes, we carried out a disproportionality analysis. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) with 95% CI was computed comparing the different ICI classes to each other based on their pharmacological target [the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), the programmed death-1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1)]. Finally, we researched in the literature the hypothesized mechanisms, which could explain the onset of these ICI-related neurological complications. Overall, we found 4,875 cases describing 6,429 ICI-related suspected NirADRs. ICI-related neurotoxicities include a wide range of central and peripheral events. These were mainly related to anti-PD-1 agents and occurred in male patients (59%). Our analysis confirmed a gender difference of NirADRs. Twenty-three percent of the events (comprising myasthenia gravis, neuropathy peripheral, and cerebral infarction) had unfavorable fallouts, including fatal outcome (7%). Majority of the NirADRs were categorized as “Neurological disorders NEC” HLGTs MedDRA (2,076; 32%). In 1,094 cases (22%), more NirADRs overlapped with other neurologic complications. An interesting overlapping of myasthenia gravis with myositis or myocarditis emerged. From our disproportionality analysis, an increased reporting probability of peripheral neuropathies and headaches emerged with ipilimumab when compared to anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 agents. However, neuromuscular disorders were more probably reported with anti-PD-1. Several pathogenic mechanisms, including neuronal damage by T cells and autoantibodies and/or cytokine-mediated inflammation processes, have been hypothesized. However, the pathogenesis of these ICI-related complications is not completely understood. Considering the recent marketing authorizations of ICIs, further studies are strongly needed to monitor their neurologic safety profile.

Drugs-Induced Pathological Gambling: An Analysis of Italian Spontaneous Reporting System

Pathological gambling has been reported as a direct complication of Parkinson’s disease and its pharmacological treatment based on dopamine agonists. Moreover, further medications (not dopamine agonists) were associated to the occurrence of gambling disorder. We aim to analyze the spontaneous reports of gambling disorder on the whole Italian territory with a focus on Campania Region (Southern Italy) from January 1st 2002 to July 31st 2018. We analyzed gambling disorder’s reports across the 2002–2018 period in the Italian spontaneous reporting database (Rete Nazionale di Farmacovigilanza—RNF), with a focus on Campania region. 94 suspected cases of gambling disorder associated to apomorphine, aripiprazole, cabergoline, levodopa, levodopa and derivatives in association with entacapone/benserazide and carbidopa, pergolide, pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine were reported into the RNF. Of these cases, two related to pramipexole and one to aripiprazole were sent to Campania Pharmacovigilance Regional Centre. Although it is widely recognized that dopamine agonists may induce behavioral disorders, Parkinson’s disease is itself associated to pathological gambling, compulsive shopping and eating. Since our results could not clarify the correlation between Parkinson’s disease, its pharmacological treatment and pathological gambling, in order to better define this correlation there is a need to conduct further ad hoc observational studies.

We Really Need Clear Guidelines and Recommendations for Safer and Proper Use of Aripiprazole and Risperidone in a Pediatric Population: Real-World Analysis of EudraVigilance Database

Background: Although aripiprazole and risperidone are used widespread in pediatrics, there are still limited pieces of evidence on their actual safety profile. By using the EudraVigilance database, we carried out an analysis to perform a comprehensive overview of reported adverse events among children and adolescents treated with aripiprazole and risperidone. Methods: Descriptive analysis was performed of all individual case safety reports (ISCRs) submitted to EudraVigilance associated with aripiprazole and risperidone and related to the pediatric population from 2016 to 2018. Results: A total of 855 and 2,242 ISCRs for aripiprazole and risperidone, respectively, were recorded for a total of 11,042 suspected adverse drug reactions (2,993 for aripiprazole and 8,049 for risperidone). Most ISCRs were related to male patients (65.0 and 86.3% for aripiprazole and risperidone, respectively) and were serious (81.0 and 94.1% for aripiprazole and risperidone, respectively). Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, such as disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, and autism spectrum disorder were the top three clinical indications for aripiprazole (19.0, 16.1, and 11.6%, respectively). For risperidone, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (25.4%), disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders (17.1%), and bipolar and related disorders (14.2%) were more commonly reported as clinical indications. Data also showed a high proportion of use for clinical conditions not authorized in children. Psychiatric disorders were the main related adverse events for aripiprazole (20.2%), and among these, suicidal behavior was one of the most reported (14.9%). Reproductive system and breast disorders were the main related adverse events for risperidone (19.8%), and gynecomastia was the most reported event; metabolism and nutrition disorders, mainly reported as weight gain disorders, were more reported in children (3-11 years) than in adolescents (12-17 years). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that spontaneously reported adverse events associated with aripiprazole and risperidone reflect what is already known in terms of safety profile, although with about 90% of them being serious. This analysis stresses the need for further studies and effective training and information activities to better define the actual benefit/risk ratio of these drugs in pediatric patients.