Efficacy and safety of insulin glargine 300 units/mL vs insulin degludec in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Ultra-long-acting insulin analogs [insulin degludec (IDeg) and insulin glargine 300 units/mL (IGla-300)] offer a longer duration of action with less risk of hypoglycemia compared to other long-acting insulins. However, data about the comparative efficacy and safety are inconsistent.

Methods

We searched CENTRAL, PubMed, Embase, ICTRP Search Portal, and ClinicalTrials.gov on 7 October 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the safety and efficacy of IDeg (100 or 200 units/mL) and IGla-300 in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were included. Three review authors independently selected trials, assessed the risk of bias, extracted data, and evaluated the overall certainty of the evidence using GRADE. The primary outcomes were the change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and any hypoglycemia; the secondary outcomes were the change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and severe and nocturnal hypoglycemia.

Results

Four open-label RCTs were included (2727 participants), 3 parallel and 1 cross-over. Overall, the risk of bias assessment yielded some concern or high risk. There was a comparable change in HbA1c from baseline to the end of treatment, a mean difference of 0.07% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06 - 0.19; p = 0.29; 3 trials; 2652 patients; very low-certainty evidence), and a comparable rate of any hypoglycemia, rate ratio 1.02 (95% CI 0.8 - 1.3; p = 0.87; 3 trials; 2881 patients; very low-certainty evidence). IDeg resulted in more reduction in FPG compared to IGla-300, mean difference of 10.27 mg/dL (95% CI 7.25 - 13.29; p < 0.001; 3 trials; 2668 patients; low-certainty evidence). Similar rates of nocturnal and severe hypoglycemia were observed, rate ratio of 1.13 (95% CI 0.72 - 1.78; p = 0.54; 3 trials; 2668 patients; very low-certainty evidence) and 1.4 (95% CI 0.41 - 4.73; p = 0.59; 2 trials; 1952 patients; very low-certainty evidence), respectively.

Conclusion

There is no evidence of a difference between IDeg and IGla-300 in the mean change in HbA1c and the risk of anytime, nocturnal, and severe hypoglycemia. IDeg appeared to cause a higher reduction in FPG compared to IGla-300. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of trials included and their high risk of bias.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022364891, identifier CRD42022364891.

Postmarketing safety of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors: an analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Background

Inhibitors of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene mutation are highly effective treatments for ALK-positive lung cancer. We conducted this pharmacovigilance analysis using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

Patients and methods

FAERS files from 2012 to 2020 were used. Reports for crizotinib, ceritinib, alectinib, brigatinib, and lorlatinib were filtered. We used the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA version 22.1). Further, we searched for adverse events on the preferred term (PT) level based on case reports in the literature. After filtering duplicate reports, disproportionality analysis was used to detect safety signals by calculating proportional reporting ratios (PRRs), reporting odds ratios (RORs), empirical Bayesian geometric mean, and information component. Reports were considered statistically significant if the 95% confidence interval did not contain the null value.

Results

Within the system organ classes, significant safety signals were found, including those for crizotinib [eye disorders (PRR 2.09, ROR 2.12)], ceritinib [gastrointestinal disorders (PRR 2.19, ROR 2.41), hepatobiliary disorders (PRR 4.4, ROR 4.52), respiratory disorders (PRR 1.96, ROR 2.08)], alectinib [hepatobiliary disorders (PRR 2.60, ROR 2.63)], brigatinib [respiratory disorders (PRR 2.15, ROR 2.31)], and lorlatinib [metabolism disorders (PRR 3.34, ROR 3.53)]. For adverse events on the PT level, we found several significant signals, including pneumothorax with crizotinib (PRR 3.29, ROR 3.29), ceritinib (PRR 3.13, ROR 3.13), and alectinib (PRR 4.88, ROR 4.89); myasthenia gravis with lorlatinib (PRR 6.05, ROR 6.05); photosensitivity reactions with crizotinib (PRR 2.20, ROR 2.20), ceritinib (PRR 4.30, ROR 4.31), alectinib (PRR 20.43, ROR 20.51), and brigatinib (PRR 20.97, ROR 21.05); pulmonary arterial hypertension with brigatinib (PRR 2.92, ROR 2.92) and lorlatinib (PRR 9.2, ROR 9.24); and rectal perforation with crizotinib (PRR 7.83, ROR 7.83). All the detected safety signals were confirmed using Bayesian methods.

Conclusion

ALK inhibitors differed in their safety profile reports. We found several significant safety signals that matched previously published case reports, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, rectal perforation, myasthenia gravis, and photosensitivity. These signals require further regulatory investigation to determine their significance and potentially update the product labels to inform patients and clinicians.

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ALK inhibitors differed in their safety profile reports. We found several significant safety signals.

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These signals include pulmonary arterial hypertension, rectal perforation, myasthenia gravis, and photosensitivity.

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Further regulatory investigations are required to determine the significance of these signals and update the product labels.

Pancytopenia And Limbic Encephalopathy Complicating Immunotherapy For Clear Cell Endometrial Cancer With Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H)

Background

Clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium (CCE) has a tendency to occur in a mismatch repair protein deficient molecular background. Treatment with immunotherapy can predict a favorable response.

Case presentation

We are presenting a 53-year-old female, diagnosed with CCE 17 years ago, who was treated initially with hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy, who relapsed a few months later, and was then treated with left pelvic mass excision and sigmoidectomy. Recently, the disease recurred as a retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, which was resected but then relapsed locally, spread to the lungs, and progressed further after three lines of chemotherapy. On pathological review of the tumor, it was found to harbor loss of nuclear expression of MLH-1 and PMS-2. Based on a strong predictor of response to immunotherapy, pembrolizumab was tried. However, within a few days of the single dose of pembrolizumab, immune thrombocytopenia followed by pancytopenia, recurrent seizures, visual hallucination, and cerebellar signs consistent with limbic encephalitis developed, which were not responding to steroid and intravenous immunoglobulin.

Conclusion

We are presenting a case of a CCE with deficient mismatch repair that developed two autoimmune side effects, pancytopenia and limbic encephalitis, within a few days of a single injection of pembrolizumab.

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