Silent cerebral infarcts are the most common neurologic injury in children with sickle cell anemia and are associated with the recurrence of an infarct (stroke or silent cerebral infarct). We tested ...the hypothesis that the incidence of the recurrence of an infarct would be lower among children who underwent regular blood-transfusion therapy than among those who received standard care.
In this randomized, single-blind clinical trial, we randomly assigned children with sickle cell anemia to receive regular blood transfusions (transfusion group) or standard care (observation group). Participants were between 5 and 15 years of age, with no history of stroke and with one or more silent cerebral infarcts on magnetic resonance imaging and a neurologic examination showing no abnormalities corresponding to these lesions. The primary end point was the recurrence of an infarct, defined as a stroke or a new or enlarged silent cerebral infarct.
A total of 196 children (mean age, 10 years) were randomly assigned to the observation or transfusion group and were followed for a median of 3 years. In the transfusion group, 6 of 99 children (6%) had an end-point event (1 had a stroke, and 5 had new or enlarged silent cerebral infarcts). In the observation group, 14 of 97 children (14%) had an end-point event (7 had strokes, and 7 had new or enlarged silent cerebral infarcts). The incidence of the primary end point in the transfusion and observation groups was 2.0 and 4.8 events, respectively, per 100 years at risk, corresponding to an incidence rate ratio of 0.41 (95% confidence interval, 0.12 to 0.99; P=0.04).
Regular blood-transfusion therapy significantly reduced the incidence of the recurrence of cerebral infarct in children with sickle cell anemia. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and others; Silent Cerebral Infarct Multi-Center Clinical Trial ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00072761, and Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN52713285.).
Excessive intravascular release of lysed cellular contents from damaged red blood cells (RBCs) in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) can activate the inflammasome, a multiprotein oligomer ...promoting maturation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β). We hypothesized that IL-1β blockade by canakinumab in patients with SCA would reduce markers of inflammation and clinical disease activity. In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter phase 2a study, patients aged 8 to 20 years with SCA (HbSS or HbSβ0-thalassemia), history of acute pain episodes, and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein >1.0 mg/L at screening were randomized 1:1 to received 6 monthly treatments with 300 mg subcutaneous canakinumab or placebo. Measured outcomes at baseline and weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 included electronic patient-reported outcomes, hospitalization rate, and adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs). All but 1 of the 49 enrolled patients were receiving stable background hydroxyurea therapy. Although the primary objective (prespecified reduction of pain) was not met, compared with patients in the placebo arm, patients treated with canakinumab had reductions in markers of inflammation, occurrence of SCA-related AEs and SAEs, and number and duration of hospitalizations as well as trends for improvement in pain intensity, fatigue, and absences from school or work. Post hoc analysis revealed treatment effects on weight, restricted to pediatric patients. Canakinumab was well tolerated with no treatment-related SAEs and no new safety signal. These findings demonstrate that the inflammation associated with SCA can be reduced by selective IL-1β blockade by canakinumab with potential for therapeutic benefits. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02961218.
The aims of the current study were to investigate whether SCD incurs an additional risk for poor sleep over and above the influence of sociodemographic factors (ie, race and sex) during adolescence, ...and to explore the relationships between sociodemographic, physical (ie, age and pubertal status), and disease-related factors (ie, SCD genotype and hydroxyurea use) on sleep problem risk during adolescence. Black adolescents (age, 12 to 17 y) with SCD (n=53) were recruited from regional pediatric SCD clinics in the southeast and a sample of healthy black adolescents (n=160) were recruited from middle and high schools. Regression analyses indicated that SCD was uniquely related to sleeping more, and worse sleep quality over and above the influence of sociodemographic factors. Having a more severe SCD genotype was related to worse sleep quality and higher pubertal status was related to sleeping longer during the week. Results indicate the need for systematic assessments of sleep problems, with more a focus on youth with more severe genotypes and higher pubertal status. Future research should focus on characterizing trajectories of sleep problems in this population, identifying key risk factors, and elucidating mechanisms linking risk factors to sleep problem risk to aid in tailoring interventions for this population.
Although effective agents are available to prevent painful vaso-occlusive episodes of sickle cell disease (SCD), there are no disease-modifying therapies for ongoing painful vaso-occlusive episodes; ...treatment remains supportive. A previous phase 3 trial of poloxamer 188 reported shortened duration of painful vaso-occlusive episodes in SCD, particularly in children and participants treated with hydroxyurea.
To reassess the efficacy of poloxamer 188 for vaso-occlusive episodes.
Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, international trial conducted from May 2013 to February 2016 that included 66 hospitals in 12 countries and 60 cities; 388 individuals with SCD (hemoglobin SS, SC, S-β0 thalassemia, or S-β+ thalassemia disease) aged 4 to 65 years with acute moderate to severe pain typical of painful vaso-occlusive episodes requiring hospitalization were included.
A 1-hour 100-mg/kg loading dose of poloxamer 188 intravenously followed by a 12-hour to 48-hour 30-mg/kg/h continuous infusion (n = 194) or placebo (n = 194).
Time in hours from randomization to the last dose of parenteral opioids among all participants and among those younger than 16 years as a separate subgroup.
Of 437 participants assessed for eligibility, 388 were randomized (mean age, 15.2 years; 176 45.4% female), the primary outcome was available for 384 (99.0%), 15-day follow-up contacts were available for 357 (92.0%), and 30-day follow-up contacts were available for 368 (94.8%). There was no significant difference between the groups for the mean time to last dose of parenteral opioids (81.8 h for the poloxamer 188 group vs 77.8 h for the placebo group; difference, 4.0 h 95% CI, -7.8 to 15.7; geometric mean ratio, 1.2 95% CI, 1.0-1.5; P = .09). Based on a significant interaction of age and treatment (P = .01), there was a treatment difference in time from randomization to last administration of parenteral opioids for participants younger than 16 years (88.7 h in the poloxamer 188 group vs 71.9 h in the placebo group; difference, 16.8 h 95% CI, 1.7-32.0; geometric mean ratio, 1.4 95% CI, 1.1-1.8; P = .008). Adverse events that were more common in the poloxamer 188 group than the placebo group included hyperbilirubinemia (12.7% vs 5.2%); those more common in the placebo group included hypoxia (12.0% vs 5.3%).
Among children and adults with SCD, poloxamer 188 did not significantly shorten time to last dose of parenteral opioids during vaso-occlusive episodes. These findings do not support the use of poloxamer 188 for vaso-occlusive episodes.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01737814.
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Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a monogenic disease resulting in polymerization of hemoglobin in hypoxic conditions. This leads to red blood cell (RBC) membrane damage and sickling, causing ...vaso-occlusion and hemolysis. Continual, excessive release of lysed RBC contents within the vascular space can activate the inflammasome, a multiprotein oligomer that promotes maturation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β). The intravascular inflammation associated with SCA, e.g., increased serum c-reactive protein (CRP) and absolute counts of neutrophils and monocytes, is predictive of long-term morbidity and mortality. Inflammation is a major component of many of the clinical complications of SCA, including vaso-occlusive pain episodes, acute chest syndrome, vascular-endothelial dysfunction, renal disease and other forms of end organ damage. Standard of care for SCA is hydroxyurea, which augments fetal hemoglobin levels and may have some anti-inflammatory effects by reducing neutrophil and monocyte counts. Canakinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting IL-1ß and blocking its downstream pro-inflammatory activities with potential to ameliorate the inflammatory complications of SCA.
Objective:To clinically validate in pediatric and young adult SCA patients the hypothesis that IL-1ß blockade by canakinumab is safe and provides clinical benefits.
Methods: A multi-center, randomized, parallel group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial recruited SCA patients (HbSS or HbS/ß0thalassemia) with history of ≥2 major pain episodes/year, screening baseline detectable pain (using pain e-diaries) and serum high sensitivity CRP level ≥1.0 mg/L. Patients were randomized with 1:1 ratio to receive six monthly s.c. injections of either canakinumab 300 mg (4 mg/kg for patients ≤40 kg) or placebo. The concurrent use of hydroxyurea was a stratification factor at randomization. Outcomes were measured at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, after which all patients moved to open label canakinumab treatment for additional 6 months. Electronic patient reported outcomes included daily pain intensity with a 0-10 cm visual analog scale, school/work absences secondary to SCA, fatigue and analgesic use. The primary outcome was change from baseline in the 4-week average daily pain intensity at week 12. Other secondary and exploratory outcomes included daily activity measured by wrist actigraphy, rate of hospitalization and adverse events, serious adverse events, transcranial Doppler velocities, percent oxygen saturation and laboratory markers of inflammation and hemolysis.
Results: A planned interim analysis for futility and safety was performed on the first 30 enrolled patients (canakinumab, n=16; placebo, n=14), of whom 26 patients completed the Week 12 assessments (canakinumab, n=14; placebo, n=12), and 13 patients completed the Week 24 assessments. Enrolled patients (median age 17 years, range 12-20; 19 male, 11 female) were evenly distributed between treatment arms. All except one patient were maintained on a stable hydroxyurea regimen. Baseline overall disease activity levels (median, range) included average daily pain 3.93 0.29, 6.57; high sensitivity CRP 3.93 mg/L 1, 64.7; transcranial Doppler velocities 85.0 m/s 23, 267; hemoglobin 94.8 g/L 73.5, 121. Futility criteria were not met and no canakinumab-associated safety issues were identified in this first interim analysis.
Conclusions: Canakinumab was well tolerated and not associated with any major side effects in SCA. Results from a second interim analysis of study outcomes for all currently enrolled patients (n=49) completing the blinded, 24-week treatment period will be available in November 2019.
Rees:Agios: Other: Grants; TauRx (methylene blue): Other: Data monitoring committees; Astra Zeneca (ticagrelor): Other: Data monitoring committees; Novartis: Other: Strategic advisory role,Principal investigator,sickle cell disease2.6 Investigator; Emmaus: Other: Strategic advisory role; Celgene: Other: Strategic advisory role; Global Blood Therapeutics: Other: Strategic advisory role; Alnylam: Other: Principal investigator. Dampier:Micelle Biopharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Hudson Publishing Company: Consultancy; Global Blood Therapeutics: Consultancy; Ironwood: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy; Modus Therapeutics: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Mahlangu:Sanofi Genzyme: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Research Funding; Baxalta: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; LFB: Consultancy; Biomarin: Research Funding; uniQure: Research Funding; Spark: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Chugai: Consultancy; CSL Behring: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Freeline Therapeutics: Research Funding; NovoNordisk: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Shire: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sobi: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; World Federation of Haemophilia: Speakers Bureau. Mortier:Novartis Pharma AG: Employment. McNamara:Novartis Pharma AG: Employment. Li:Novartis Pharma AG: Employment. Oliver:Novartis Pharma AG: Employment, Equity Ownership.
canakinumab use in the treatment of sickle cell anemia.
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