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BACKGROUND: Physical disability, cognitive impairment, depression, and fatigue are poorly understood in Latin American patients with multiple sclerosis following alemtuzumab infusion. OBJECTIVES: To describe Sustained changes in physical disability in an average 22-month follow-up period after alemtuzumab infusion, and which demographical or clinical variables modulate change in EDSS, and adverse events, changes in cognition, fatigue, and depressive symptoms after an average 15-month follow-up period. METHOD: Retrospective cohort observational study. Following the review of medical records, 23 patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis treated with alemtuzumab were identified; of these, 17 had a baseline neuropsychological assessment and 12 had at least one follow-up neuropsychological assessment. RESULTS: Most of the patients presented a low level of physical disability, depression, fatigue, and cognitive impairment, which was more pronounced in the processing speed and visuospatial memory at baseline. Fifteen of 23 (65.2%) of patients showed disability improvement, 7 (30.1%) patients remained stable, and 1 (4.3%) patient worsened, and change was not influenced by age or baseline disability score. Twenty (87%) patients remained free of clinical relapses. Performance improved on the BVMT-R visual memory test, 9 (75%) remained stable or improved on the BICAMS, and 66.6% perceived decreased fatigue on the d-FIS. Adverse events occurred in 7 (30.1%) of patients, the most common were opportunistic infections in 2 (8.6%) patients, and one 29-year-old patient presented papillary thyroid carcinoma after infusion of the second course of alemtuzumab. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that treatment with alemtuzumab has a beneficial impact on disability, cognitive impairment, and perception of fatigue. The percentage and type of adverse events observed in the cohort are similar to those reported for other real-life studies.
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Esclerose Múltipla Recidivante-Remitente , Esclerose Múltipla , Alemtuzumab/efeitos adversos , Colômbia , Fadiga/induzido quimicamente , Humanos , Esclerose Múltipla/induzido quimicamente , Esclerose Múltipla Recidivante-Remitente/induzido quimicamente , Esclerose Múltipla Recidivante-Remitente/tratamento farmacológico , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
Introduction: Multiple sclerosis is a neurological condition that causes disabilities and is most common in young adults. It imposes high financial costs affecting the quality of life of patients, families, and society. It is critical to measure the budgetary impact of new technologies to treat this disease. Objective: The aim of the article is to estimate the budgetary impact of introducing alemtuzumab as an escalation therapy in patients diagnosed with Recurrent Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and treated in Quito, Ecuador. Materials and methods: A cohort of 85 patients receiving treatment with disease-modifying therapies was used, within a 5-year timeframe, between 2021 and 2025. The baseline scenario, including the percentages of administration of the different drugs, is compared with the alternative scenario, including alemtuzumab. The cost assessment included only direct medical resources. To obtain local resources for management of the disease, a neurologist and clinical expert who treats most of the patients in Quito was consulted. Results: Considering a cohort of 85 patients with active Recurrent Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, the average global budget impact in 5 years would be USD 10,603,230.00 in the base case and USD 9,995,817.00 in the alemtuzumab scenario. Conclusion: The inclusion of alemtuzumab as escalation therapy represents budgetary savings over the next 5 years (2021-2025).
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INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, which occurs in up to 85% of cases as relapsing remitting (RR), with episodes of neurological dysfunction partially forwarded. Its treatment in Chile is financially protected by the Explicit Health Guarantees (GES) and Law 20,850 on high-cost diseases. The Regional Hospital of Talca (HRT) has 25 patients benefiting from Law 20,850 in treatment with second-line biologic therapy. Adverse reactions (RAM) to the use of these drugs have been described and to date there are no case reports or studies of significant adverse events in Chile. Objectives: To present the experience of the use of biologic therapy in EMRR in HRT, in relation to adverse events. METHODS: A review of the current guidelines in Chile for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and the protocol of law 20,850 was carried out, the clinical records of 25 patients benefiting from the law in the HRT were reviewed, with emphasis on the adverse events presented before First and second line therapies and the con sequences of these events on the continuity of therapy. RESULTS: Half of the patients who started their treatment with first-line drugs had adverse effects, of which 28% involved a change in therapy, the remaining changed from therapy due to failure to treatment. Of the 26 patients included in the sample, 24 are currently using second-line drugs. The profile of adverse effects should be a variable to consider when indicating a therapy for MS.
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Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Esclerose Múltipla/diagnóstico , Esclerose Múltipla/tratamento farmacológico , Chile , Interferon beta/administração & dosagem , Interferon beta/efeitos adversos , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Acetato de Glatiramer/efeitos adversos , Imunossupressores , Esclerose Múltipla/complicaçõesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel disease that has spread abruptly over the world, allowing the development of countermeasures an urgent global priority. It has been speculated that elder people and patient with comorbidities may be at risk of developing complication. On the other hand, it has been seen that immunosuppressed patients could develop a mild presentation of the disease. Based on this hypothesis, several immunosuppressant agents are currently being tested as potential treatment for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: report a patient treated with alemtuzumab (Humanized monoclonal antibody against the lymphocyte and monocyte surface antigen CD52, which depletes B and T cells) (Thompson et al., 2018) for recurrent remittent multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who developed mild COVID-19. RESULTS: Despite complete B and T cell depletion, patient symptoms abated few days with no need for hospitalization due to COVID-19 and no clinical evidence of disease activation regarding her MS. DISCUSSION: This report shows that MS patients with mild depletion of B and T cells can mount an antiviral response against COVID-19 and produce IgG.
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Alemtuzumab/uso terapêutico , Tratamento Farmacológico da COVID-19 , Imunidade/efeitos dos fármacos , Esclerose Múltipla/tratamento farmacológico , SARS-CoV-2/efeitos dos fármacos , COVID-19/complicações , COVID-19/virologia , Feminino , Humanos , Esclerose Múltipla/complicações , Esclerose Múltipla/imunologia , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , SARS-CoV-2/patogenicidade , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Alemtuzumab (ALZ) is an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody used to treat recurrent remittent multiple sclerosis (RRMS). After ALZ infusion, there is a depletion of T and B cells expressing CD52, while the stem cells and innate immune cells are spared. Longitudinal studies with long periods of follow-ups have reported ALZ-associated autoimmune diseases, such as thrombocytopenic purpura and thyroiditis. We report two patients who developed autoimmune hemophilia A or acquired hemophilia (AHA) after ALZ infusion, one of whom developed severe vitiligo. To the best of our knowledge, these two cases of ALZ-associated AHA are the first two cases to be reported in Brazil, and the fourth and fifth AHA cases to be reported worldwide. AHA is a potential life-threatening disease if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. The development of AHA should be cited as a possible adverse event, and specific coagulation tests must be part of the official recommendations for patient follow-ups.
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Doenças Autoimunes , Hemofilia A , Esclerose Múltipla , Alemtuzumab/efeitos adversos , Brasil , Hemofilia A/induzido quimicamente , Hemofilia A/diagnóstico , HumanosRESUMO
The use of biosimilar drugs for multiple sclerosis (MS) has become widespread in Latin America, with the goal of reducing costs of treatments, promoting the sustainability of healthcare systems, and improving patient access to these therapies. There is currently a need to define and comply with requirements to guarantee the efficacy, safety, and quality of these drugs. Thus, the objective of the present study was to compile up-to-date information from each Latin American country assessed on (a) approval of biosimilar drugs by regulatory agencies; (b) use of biosimilar drugs, pharmacovigilance plans, risk management; and (c) update in the knowledge on different molecules. To do so, a group of experts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela met to discuss the current situation regarding good practices and risks associated with the use of biosimilar drugs in their respective countries. Regulation, risk management plans, and pharmacovigilance in the whole continent must guide the strategies on the commercialization and access of biosimilar drugs and copies of complex molecules. Current regulations must be implemented for the registration of biosimilar drug products and complex molecules. It is paramount to ensure that new products follow the best quality standards at all stages beyond being safe and efficient. Uncontrolled interchangeability between original biological and biosimilar should be avoided. Latin America requires the implementation and full use of strong pharmacovigilance programs. National and multinational clinical studies are required to demonstrate the similarity in safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity profiles of complex molecules, as well as biological and biosimilar products. Plain language summary available for this article.
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Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and cytomegalovirus reactivation are important complications after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). Here, we evaluated the impact of treatment with alemtuzumab on the occurrence of aGVHD, cytomegalovirus reactivation and survival after alloHSCT. This was a prospective cohort study conducted at the allo-HSCT unit of Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, from January 2009 to December 2011. Fifty-seven patients who underwent alloHSCT were included. Forty-five (79%) patients had a malignant disease. Alemtuzumab was administered before the conditioning regimen at a dose of 1 mg/kg in children and 30 mg/day for 2 days in adults or children weighing more than 40 kg (a total dose of 60 mg) with a non-malignant disease or patients with a malignant disease and high-risk for GVHD mortality. Alemtuzumab was used in 23 (40%) patients, of whom 17 received a reduced-intensity conditioning. Eleven patients presented aGVHD (grade 2–4) and only 1 of them received alemtuzumab. Cumulative incidence of aGVHD (grade 2–4) at day 100 after transplantation (D+100) was 4 for patients receiving alemtuzumab and 29% for patients not receiving alemtuzumab. Cumulative incidence of cytomegalovirus reactivation for patients receiving or not alemtuzumab was 62 and 38%, respectively. Sixteen patients died in the first 100 days after alloHSCT, most of them due to bacterial sepsis. Only 2 patients died of aGVHD until D+100. Overall survival was 50% without any impact of alemtuzumab. Alemtuzumab effectively controlled aGVHD but increased the risk of cytomegalovirus reactivation without improving survival.
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Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Pré-Escolar , Criança , Adolescente , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto Jovem , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/uso terapêutico , Infecções por Citomegalovirus/prevenção & controle , Doença Enxerto-Hospedeiro/prevenção & controle , Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/métodos , Alemtuzumab , Citomegalovirus/fisiologia , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Doença Enxerto-Hospedeiro/virologia , Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/efeitos adversos , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Transplante Homólogo , Ativação Viral/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Introducción: Se conoce que la incidencia de malignidad es significativamente mayor en los pacientes trasplantados que en la población general. La incidencia de enfermedad linfoproliferativa post trasplante (PTLD) es aproximadamente de 1% a 2% en los receptores de trasplante renal. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue evaluar la incidencia de PTLD en el seguimiento de pacientes trasplantados de riñón entre el 2005 y el 2010. Material y Métodos: Se tomaron de forma retrospectiva los datos de pacientes trasplantados de riñón entre los años 2005 a 2010 para determinar el número de casos de PTLD según el esquema inductor usado. Resultados: Se trasplantaron 425 pacientes en el periodo 2005 - 2010. Recibieron alemtuzumab 76.2%, daclizumab 10.7%, basiliximab 3.6% y timoglobulina 2.4%. No recibieron inducción con anticuerpos el 7 %. Durante este tiempo se presentaron 2 casos de PTLD: 1 con mieloma múltiple y otro con linfoma. Uno de ellos recibió alemtuzumab y otro timoglobulina. Conclusiones: En esta cohorte de pacientes donde se usó predominantemente alemtuzumab, la incidencia de PTLD fue más baja que lo reportado en estudios previos.
Introduction: It is well known that the incidence of malignancy is significantly higher in transplanted patients than in general population. The incidence of lymphoproliferative disease post-transplantation (PTLD) is approximately of 1% to 2% in kidney transplantation recipients. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the PTLD incidence when monitoring kidney transplanted patients between the years 2005 and 2010. Material and Methods: Kidney transplanted patients' data was retrospectively taken between the years 2005 to 2010 in order to determine the number of PTLD cases according to the inductor scheme used. Results: 425 patients were transplanted between 2005 and 2010. They received alemtuzumab 76.2%,daclizumab 10.7%, basiliximab 3.6% and thymoglobulin 2.4%. The 7% did not receive antibody induction. During this period 2 cases of PTLD ocurred: One with multiple myeloma and the other with lymphoma. One of them had been treated with alemtuzumab and the other with thymoglobulin. Conclusions: The PTLD incidence in our group, where alemtuzumab was used predominantly as inductor, was very low; this might suggest that alemtuzumab is a medication that does not increase the risk of this kind of neoplasia.