Sonidegib as a Locally Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma Therapy in Real-life Clinical Setting: A National Multicentre Study

BACKGROUND

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent cancer. A minority of BCCs have an aggressive behaviour (laBCC) and may require hedgehog pathway inhibitors such as sonidegib as its treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the use of sonidegib in a large number of patients and provide more data on its real-life efficacy and safety profile.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective and multicentric study that included patients treated with sonidegib. Epidemiological, effectiveness and safety data were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 82 patients with a mean age of 73.9 years were included. Ten patients had Gorlin syndrome. Median treatment duration was 6 months. Median follow-up duration was 34.2 months. Globally, 81.7% of the patients showed clinical improvement (52.4% partial response and 29.3% complete response), 12.2% clinical stability and 6.1% disease progression. There was no statistically significant difference in clinical improvement between the 24 h and 48 h sonidegib posology. After 6 months of treatment, 48.8% of the patients discontinued sonidegib. Prior vismodegib treatment and recurrent primary BCC were associated with a poorer response to sonidegib. At 6 months of treatment, 68.3% of the patients experienced at least one adverse effect.

CONCLUSION

Sonidegib shows good effectiveness and acceptable safety profile in usual clinical practice.

Sonidegib as a locally advanced basal cell carcinoma therapy in real-life clinical setting: a national multicentre study

BACKGROUND

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent cancer. A minority of BCCs have an aggressive behaviour (laBCC) and may require hedgehog pathway inhibitors such as sonidegib as its treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the use of sonidegib in a large number of patients and provide more data on its real-life efficacy and safety profile.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective and multicentric study that included patients treated with sonidegib. Epidemiological, effectiveness and safety data were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 82 patients with a mean age of 73.9 years were included. Ten patients had Gorlin syndrome. Median treatment duration was 6 months. Median follow-up duration was 34.2 months. Globally, 81.7% of the patients showed clinical improvement (52.4% partial response and 29.3% complete response), 12.2% clinical stability and 6.1% disease progression. There was no statistically significant difference in clinical improvement between the 24h and 48h sonidegib posology. After 6 months of treatment, 48.8% of the patients discontinued sonidegib. Prior vismodegib treatment and recurrent primary BCC were associated with a poorer response to sonidegib. At 6 months of treatment, 68.3% of the patients experienced at least one adverse effect.

CONCLUSION

Sonidegib shows good effectiveness and acceptable safety profile in usual clinical practice.

Preoperative levosimendan. A new way for organoprotection

Preoperative use of levosimendan in cardiac surgery patients is one of the most attractive therapeutic alternatives in subjects with left or right ventricular dysfunction. Our review explores the pharmacological bases and clinical evidence for the use of levosimendan, with the intention of making a series of recommendations regarding its use in preoperative optimization prior to cardiac surgery. We carried out a survey of 102 Spanish anesthesiologists in order to shed light on the grey areas regarding the use of this drug prior to surgery. Our findings suggest that levosimendan is recommended for patients with severe left or right ventricular dysfunction, moderate left ventricular dysfunction in which Intra-aortic Balloon Counterpulsation (IABC) is necessary and severe pulmonary hypertension. Administration of levosimendan prior to surgical cardiac intervention without an initial bolus reduces the likelihood of complications.

Influence of surgical or endovascular distal revascularization of the lower limbs on ischemic ulcer healing

AIM

Our aim is to analyze the ability of distal endovascular procedures, performed as first treatment option, to promote ischemic ulcer healing.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 91 primary distal procedures, 49 (53.8%) surgical and 42 (46.2%) endovascular, performed consecutively between January 2005 and December 2007 in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and ischemic ulcers. Patient comorbidities, intervention duration time, postoperative hospital stay and complications were recorded. Ischemic ulcer healing time, patency, limb salvage and survival rates were compared between both groups. Data were included in a Cox regression model to determine predictive factors for healing

RESULTS

Endovascular therapy was associated with shorter intervention time (128±53 versus 301±91 min; P=0.001) and postoperative hospital stay (13±13 versus 19±14 days; P=0.05). Surgical procedures were associated with more local complications (28.6% versus 7.1% P=0.01), more readmissions for surgical wound complications (12.2% versus 0% P=0.03) and more early major amputations (16.3% versus 0% P=0.007). Ischemic ulcer healing in endovascular and surgical procedures was 80% versus 83% at 12 months (P=NS). Overall patency, limb salvage, survival and amputation-free survival with healed ulcers at 24 months in endovascular and surgical groups were 82% versus 82% (P=NS), 83% versus 72% (P=NS), 81% versus 79% (P=NS) and 63% versus 56% (P=NS). Diabetes mellitus (HR: 2.86 95% CI [1.44-5.68]), free ambulatory status (HR: 0.57 95% CI [0.33-0.98]) and the presence of severe wounds (HR: 2.73 95% CI [1.40-5.30]) were predictors for ulcer healing.

CONCLUSION

Endovascular and surgical distal procedures had a similar ulcer healing rate and limb salvage. Our experience supports endovascular-first strategy for CLI with tissue loss.

Long-term pleiotropic effect of statins upon nitric oxide and C-reactive protein levels in patients with peripheral arterial disease

OBJECTIVES

Peripheral arterial disease can be regarded as a systemic inflammatory disorder affecting the entire vascular system. In the early clinical stages, it is characterised by the deterioration of endothelial function, which does not progress with the development of the disease. This study analyses the pleiotropic effects upon the plasma nitrite and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in claudicating patients after 12 months of treatment with statins.

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective randomised controlled translational study was made in patients with Fontaine grade II ischaemia, treated with the best medical treatment with or without statins for 12 months from the time of diagnosis for assessing the pleiotropic effects of those statins.

METHODS

Measurements of plasma high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), lipid profile and nitrites were made at baseline and after 1 month and 1 year of treatment with atorvastatin 40 mg/day.

RESULTS

A significant reduction in nitrite levels was observed after 1 month of treatment (11.8±7.8 μM vs 5.7±1.8 μM, p=0.0001), but this effect did not persist after 1 year (11.8±7.8 μM vs 9.4±8.9 μM, p=0.27). HsCRP underwent a significant reduction after both 1 month (7 (2.2-12) vs 3.4 (1.6-5.5), p<0.01) and 1 year of treatment with atorvastatin (7 (2.2-12) vs 2.25 (1.67-6.7), p=0.02). Statin treatment reduced hsCRP levels in 9.64 (95% CI (1.60 to 17.68)) after 1 month and in 9.14 (95% CI (0.18 to 18.47)) after 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term biological pleiotropic effects of statins provide information on the role of endothelial function and systemic inflammation in the aetiopathogenesis of peripheral arterial disease. Statins slow endothelial degradation at the start of the disease, with no effects over the long term. These drug substances reduce progressive inflammation throughout the treatment period. This supports the novel hypothesis that endothelial dysfunction is only a disease-triggering phenomenon, while systemic inflammation would be responsible for both the origin and the maintenance of peripheral arterial disease.

Direct association between C-reactive protein serum levels and endothelial dysfunction in patients with claudication

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the relationship between C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP), a serum marker of inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction in patients with intermittent claudication.

DESIGN, PATIENTS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study with stratified sampling on dependent variables of age, genre, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking status and ankle-brachial index (ABI) to select 156 patients from a target population of 4,100 patients with claudication. We assessed the flow-mediated arterial dilation (FMAD) as a reporter of endothelial function and plasma levels of hsCRP and fibrinogen.

RESULTS

Patients with a FMAD<3% (range for the lowest 5% of healthy subjects) had increased levels of plasma hsCRP (6.3 vs 2.3mg/L; p<0.05) and fibrinogen (351vs 302mg/L; p<0.05) in comparison to those with FMAD>3%. There was a negative correlation between hsCRP and FMAD(r=-0.465; p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Impaired endothelial dysfunction is association with increased plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers, and both may have a role in the aetiopathogenesis of peripheral arterial disease.

Phase I study of PM00104, a novel cytotoxic anti-cancer drug, administered to patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphoma

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Background: PM00104 (Zalypsis [Z]) is a novel synthetic alkaloid related to the marine compounds Jorumycin and the family of Renieramycins. Preliminary analyses of its mechanisms of action suggest effects on the cell cycle, DNA binding properties, as well as transcriptional inhibition. Z has shown antitumor activity in vitro (IC50 =10-8 M) and in xenografts models, and an acceptable toxicology profile. Methods: Patients (pts) with advanced cancers or lymphoma were enrolled to determine the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD), pharmacokinetics (PK) and antitumor activity of Z administered as a 1- hour IV infusion every 3 weeks. Sequential cohorts of 3–6 pts received the following doses: 0.225, 0.45, 0.9, 1.8, 3.0 and 3.6 mg/m2. Results: 27 pts were treated (19 M; median age: 58, range: 39–79; ECOG PS =2). 2 of 6 pts at 3.6 mg/m2 experienced dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), defining the MTD; 1 pt with colorectal cancer with extensive liver metastases developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, grade 3 transaminase elevation, and grade 4 troponin I rise without cardiac symptoms or electrocardiogram alterations. These toxicities all resolved. Another pt with adrenal carcinoma developed grade 3 nausea, vomiting and asthenia despite anti-emetics, which resolved with dexamethasone 2 days after infusion. Other toxicities were =grade 2 and included: nausea, vomiting, transient transaminase elevation and asthenia at doses =0.225 mg/m2 and myelosuppression (neutropenia and leukopenia) at doses =3.0 mg/m2. No DLTs were seen in 6 pts at a dose of 3.0 mg/m2, establishing this dose as the RD. 3 more pts were added to complete the expanded cohort at this RD. To date, 2 pts have SD lasting >3 months. PK data indicate that drug AUC and Cmax increase proportionally across the dose range until doses =3.0 mg/m2, when a disproportionate increase in AUC and Cmax was seen. Z has a long half-life (=50 hours) and wide volume of distribution (Vss ∼500 l/m2). Conclusions: Z has a favorable safety profile. The MTD on this schedule has been established at 3.6 mg/m2. Alternative schedules are being evaluated to try and increase dose intensity.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Normative data on the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination in a Spanish-speaking population

Normative data of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (Goodglass & Kaplan, 1972) in a Spanish-speaking population is presented. This test was given to 180 neurologically normal adults grouped according to three variables: sex, age, and educational level. The statistically significant differences found are presented. Few differences appeared between sexes, but there were marked differences among the different age groups and in particular among educational levels. A correction to the scoring is proposed for each of the subtests according the patient's educational level.