Hit-hard and early versus step-up treatment in severe sarcoidosis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The treatment of sarcoidosis remains uncertain, despite 70 years of study. The conventional approach is to initiate corticosteroids in individuals who require treatment. The position of more aggressive regimes is unknown.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent recognition that many patients will require prolonged therapy, and the observation that corticosteroids lead to overt and insidious toxicities, have led to suggestions that steroid-sparing medications be used earlier in the management of sarcoidosis. Individuals with poor prognostic features, designated as 'high-risk' sarcoidosis may, especially benefit from a broader palette of therapeutic options in the initial treatment regimen. An even more aggressive approach, known as 'top-down' or 'hit-hard and early' therapy has emerged in the fields of gastroenterology and rheumatology in the past 15 years, on the premise that highly effective early control of inflammation leads to better outcomes. These regimens typically involve early initiation of biologic therapies.

SUMMARY

For certain subpopulations of sarcoidosis patients, 'top-down' therapy could be helpful. Severe pulmonary sarcoidosis, neurosarcoidosis, cardiac sarcoidosis and multiorgan sarcoidosis are phenotypes that may be most relevant for revised therapeutic algorithms. Precision medicine approaches and randomized trials will be necessary to confirm a role for top-down therapy in the routine management of sarcoidosis.

Step-up and step-down approaches in the treatment of asthma

Introduction: Significant intraindividual and temporal variability in symptom control is a feature of asthma that requires careful monitoring and the need to periodically review and adjust therapy. Both NHLBI/NAEPP and GINA offer helpful algorithms for a stepping approach to asthma.Areas covered: The problems arisen in applying the stepwise approach to the treatment of asthma proposed by NHLBI/NAEPP and GINA algorithms and their possible alternatives.Expert opinion: The current therapeutic stepping approach to asthma, which takes into account lung function, symptoms and quality of life, is certainly useful, but it does not consider the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, patient's overestimation or underestimation of the severity of the disease and differences in the opinions on the level of asthma control required between patients and physicians and also between physicians in both primary care and specialist settings are common and may negatively affect asthma control and future risks. A reassessment of the conventional stepping approach to management of asthma is now needed. A pragmatic approach that sets therapeutic goals for each individual and associates them with the treatable traits of asthma which, when therapeutically targeted, will in many cases help to achieve the goals, seems more reasonable than the present stepping approach.

Analysis of the ratios of medial-lateral and proximal-distal muscle activities surrounding the hip joint in the step-up and step-down positions

BACKGROUND

Many practitioners recommend step-up and step-down exercises to increase muscle strength in the lower extremities. However, decreased stability of the hip joint and imbalanced muscle activities can alter limb biomechanics during these movements.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated muscle imbalance between the medial and lateral muscle components and between the proximal and distal muscle components by expressing the proportions of muscle activation in the step-up and step-down positions.

METHODS

Nineteen subjects participated in the study. Activity of the vastus medialis oblique, vastus lateralis, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, adductor, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus was assessed.

RESULTS

The semitendinosus-biceps femoris ratio was higher in the step-down position than in the step-up position. The adductor-gluteus medius, adductor-vastus lateralis, and adductor-biceps ratios were higher in the step-up position than in the step-down position. The gluteus maximus-biceps ratio was greater in the step-down position than in the step-up position. In the hip joint, internal rotation was significantly greater in the step-up position.

CONCLUSIONS

The transverse angle of the hip joint has a greater effect on the medial-lateral balance of the muscles surrounding the hip joint. Muscle activation in the medial hamstring is greater in the step-down position; in the adductor, muscle activation is greater in the step-up position. The step-down position is more appropriate for those with proximal weakness, as it can promote muscle activation in the gluteus maximus while maintaining biceps femoris activation.

Current controversies in the stepping up and stepping down of inhaled therapies for COPD at the patient level

The implementation of potential new step-up or step-down treatment recommendations in response to current guidelines is one of the main challenges currently faced in actual daily practice settings. In the present narrative review, we aim to discuss the relevance of these step-up and step-down proposals at the patient level in daily clinical practice. In particular, we aim to review the challenges associated with inhaled maintenance therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in four clinical scenarios. First, we discuss the step up from single to double bronchodilation, including current controversies regarding the addition of a second bronchodilator versus initial treatment with two bronchodilators. Second, we discuss the step up from double bronchodilation to triple therapy while challenging current indications for inhaled steroid therapy and discussing triple therapy designs. Third, we discuss the step down from triple therapy to double bronchodilation while evaluating the effect of this downshift in risk categories on the patient according to the new classifications. Finally, we discuss the step down from double to single bronchodilation, with a special focus on safety. We believe this review will help to highlight the most relevant discussion points regarding the treatment of COPD in a manner that will stimulate and guide related clinical research.

Umeclidinium/vilanterol as step-up therapy from tiotropium in patients with moderate COPD: a randomized, parallel-group, 12-week study

Introduction

Patients with COPD who remain symptomatic on long-acting bronchodilator monotherapy may benefit from step-up therapy to a long-acting bronchodilator combination. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of umeclidinium (UMEC)/vilanterol (VI) in patients with moderate COPD who remained symptomatic on tiotropium (TIO).

Methods

In this randomized, blinded, double-dummy, parallel-group study (NCT01899742), patients (N=494) who were prescribed TIO for ≥3 months at screening (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV₁]: 50%–70% of predicted; modified Medical Research Council [mMRC] score ≥1) and completed a 4-week run-in with TIO were randomized to UMEC/VI 62.5/25 µg or TIO 18 µg for 12 weeks. Efficacy assessments included trough FEV₁ at Day 85 (primary end point), 0–3 h serial FEV₁, rescue medication use, Transition Dyspnea Index (TDI), St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Safety evaluations included adverse events (AEs).

Results

Compared with TIO, UMEC/VI produced greater improvements in trough FEV₁ (least squares [LS] mean difference: 88 mL at Day 85 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 45–131]; P<0.001) and FEV₁ after 5 min on Day 1 (50 mL [95% CI: 27–72]; P<0.001). Reductions in rescue medication use over 12 weeks were greater with UMEC/VI versus TIO (LS mean change: −0.1 puffs/d [95% CI: −0.2–0.0]; P≤0.05). More patients achieved clinically meaningful improvements in TDI score (≥1 unit) with UMEC/VI (63%) versus TIO (49%; odds ratio at Day 84=1.78 [95% CI: 1.21–2.64]; P≤0.01). Improvements in SGRQ and CAT scores were similar between treatments. The incidence of AEs was similar with UMEC/VI (30%) and TIO (31%).

Conclusion

UMEC/VI step-up therapy provides clinical benefit over TIO monotherapy in patients with moderate COPD who are symptomatic on TIO alone.

In vivo kinematic evaluation of total hip arthroplasty during stair climbing

Stair climbing is a physically demanding task and a painful limitation for patients suffering from severe hip osteoarthritis. Although total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the definitive treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis, it is not well understood whether THA restores hip kinematics during strenuous activities. The purpose of this study was to compare the 3D kinematics of THA and native hip during physically demanding tasks and correlate potential differences with THA components orientations/positions in patients with unilateral THA. In vivo hip kinematics were determined during step-up and leg stance activities using a validated combination of 3D CT-based computer modeling and dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). The THA side demonstrated an average 3.4° (±6.5°, range: -5.9° to 15.2°) greater internal rotation than the contralateral native hip, during the step-up activity but not during leg stance. The difference in internal rotation was highly correlated to the difference in femoral anteversion and anterior translation of hip joint center between implanted and native hip (R(2)  = 0.71, p < 0.01). The results suggest the importance of accurate THA component placement in restoring normal hip kinematics during functional activities.

NOD2 polymorphism predicts response to treatment in Crohn's disease--first steps to a personalized therapy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Great efforts have been made to predict disease behavior over time and the response to treatment in Crohn's disease (CD). Such understanding could personalize therapy. Early introduction of more aggressive therapies to patients at high risk and no introduction of predictable refractory treatments could become possible. We hence tested the influence of the NOD2 carrier status on treatment response.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 185 CD patients (age 45 ± 9.8 years, female n = 108, minimum disease duration 10 years), the three most common polymorphisms (p.Arg702Trp, p.Gly908Arg, p.Leu1007fsX1008) of NOD2 were tested by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Detailed clinical and medical history were obtained with a standardized questionnaire and by reviewing the medical charts. Treatments introduced were chosen by physicians blinded to genotype data.

RESULTS

The frequency of the NOD2 variant allele was about one-third (67, 30.2%) of CD patients. NOD2 carriers were more often treated with systemic and locally active steroids and with an immunosuppressant (Azathioprine/6-MP). NOD2 mutation carrier status was more often associated with systemic steroid [8.9% vs. wild-type (WT) 1.2%, P = 0.0086] and local-steroid refractory (14.9% vs. WT 3.5%; P = 0.001). The WT patients were significantly higher refractory to immunosuppressant (12.8% vs. NOD2 carriers, 0.5%, P = 0.03). Most WT patients were treated with TNF-α antagonists and remission rates were significantly higher in this group after 1 year of treatment (84% vs. NOD2 carriers, 33%, P = 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

The study presents first hints for the NOD2 carrier status to be predictive for response to therapy. A higher percentage of CD patients with NOD2 mutation carrier status was steroid refractory but could be treated well with immunosuppressants. The WT status showed a higher response to steroids and remission rates within 1 year of anti-TNF-α therapy. On the way to personalized medicine, this approach should be further investigated in larger studies.

An electromyographic comparison of 4 closed chain exercises

OBJECTIVE

Closed chain exercises are used in the clinical setting to safely strengthen the muscles about the knee. We compared the EMG activity of 3 muscles (vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and biceps femoris) during 4 closed chain exercises (unilateral one-quarter squat, lateral step-up, FlexCord front pull, and FlexCord back pull) to determine which exercise produced the most muscle activity.

DESIGN AND SETTING

We used a 4 x 3 x 2 factorial design with repeated measures on exercise, muscle, and movement (knee flexion and extension). Muscle and movement were the control variables for post hoc comparisons. Data were collected in a sports injury research laboratory.

SUBJECTS

Thirty-eight healthy, active female college students aged 21.97 +/- 2.8 years, with height 166.9 +/- 6.3 cm and weight 61.9 +/- 8.5 kg. Subjects had no history of lower extremity pathology that resulted in surgery and no lower extremity pathology within the last year.

MEASUREMENTS

We placed surface electrodes on the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and biceps femoris muscles. Synchronized with a metronome, subjects performed 3 repetitions of 4 exercises between 5 degrees and 30 degrees of knee flexion. Electromyographic measurements were taken from the middle third of the flexion and extension phase of each repetition.

RESULTS

The FlexCord front pull and back pull produced higher levels of biceps femoris activity than the quarter squat and step-up. The FlexCord front pull also produced a higher level of vastus medialis activity during knee extension than the quarter squat, lateral step-up, or FlexCord back pull.

CONCLUSIONS

The high levels of biceps femoris activity during the FlexCord exercises indicate that a greater cocontraction exists. With a greater cocontraction, the FlexCord exercises could be safely used during ACL rehabilitation. The high levels of vastus medialis activity during the FlexCord front pull suggest that it may be a beneficial exercise for patellofemoral rehabilitation.