Summary Background Epidemiological data for acute kidney injury are scarce, especially in low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to assess regional ...differences in acute kidney injury recognition, management, and outcomes. Methods In this multinational cross-sectional study, 322 physicians from 289 centres in 72 countries collected prospective data for paediatric and adult patients with confirmed acute kidney injury in hospital and non-hospital settings who met criteria for acute kidney injury. Signs and symptoms at presentation, comorbidities, risk factors for acute kidney injury, and process-of-care data were obtained at the start of acute kidney injury, and need for dialysis, renal recovery, and mortality recorded at 7 days, and at hospital discharge or death, whichever came earlier. We classified countries into high-income countries (HICs), upper-middle-income countries (UMICs), and combined LICs and LMICs (LLMICs) according to their 2014 gross national income per person. Findings Between Sept 29 and Dec 7, 2014, data were collected from 4018 patients. 2337 (58%) patients developed community-acquired acute kidney injury, with 889 (80%) of 1118 patients in LLMICs, 815 (51%) of 1594 in UMICs, and 663 (51%) of 1241 in HICs (for HICs vs UMICs p=0.33; p<0.0001 for all other comparisons). Hypotension (1615 40% patients) and dehydration (1536 38% patients) were the most common causes of acute kidney injury. Dehydration was the most frequent cause of acute kidney injury in LLMICs (526 46% of 1153 vs 518 32% of 1605 in UMICs vs 492 39% of 1260 in HICs) and hypotension in HICs (564 45% of 1260 vs 611 38%% of 1605 in UMICs vs 440 38% of 1153 LLMICs). Mortality at 7 days was 423 (11%) of 3855, and was higher in LLMICs (129 12% of 1076) than in HICs (125 10% of 1230) and UMICs (169 11% of 1549). Interpretation We identified common aetiological factors across all countries, which might be amenable to a standardised approach for early recognition and treatment of acute kidney injury. Study limitations include a small number of patients from outpatient settings and LICs, potentially under-representing the true burden of acute kidney injury in these areas. Additional strategies are needed to raise awareness of acute kidney injury in community health-care settings, especially in LICs. Funding International Society of Nephrology.
Recognition is increasing for the effect of AKI on patients, and the resulting societal burden from its long-term effects, including development of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease ...needing dialysis or transplantation.2 Few systematic efforts to manage (prevent, diagnose, and treat) AKI have been put in place and few resources have been allocated to inform health-care professionals and the public of the importance of AKI as a preventable and treatable disease.
Chronic kidney disease is defined as a reduced glomerular filtration rate, increased urinary albumin excretion, or both, and is an increasing public health issue. Prevalence is estimated to be 8–16% ...worldwide. Complications include increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, kidney-disease progression, acute kidney injury, cognitive decline, anaemia, mineral and bone disorders, and fractures. Worldwide, diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease, but in some regions other causes, such as herbal and environmental toxins, are more common. The poorest populations are at the highest risk. Screening and intervention can prevent chronic kidney disease, and where management strategies have been implemented the incidence of end-stage kidney disease has been reduced. Awareness of the disorder, however, remains low in many communities and among many physicians. Strategies to reduce burden and costs related to chronic kidney disease need to be included in national programmes for non-communicable diseases.
Summary Background Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms are secondary malignancies that are often fatal, but their risk factors are not well understood. Evidence suggests that individuals with clonal ...haemopoiesis have increased risk of developing haematological malignancies. We aimed to identify whether patients with cancer who have clonal haemopoiesis are at an increased risk of developing therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. Methods We did this retrospective case-control study to compare the prevalence of clonal haemopoiesis between patients treated for cancer who later developed therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (cases) and patients who did not develop these neoplasms (controls). All patients in both case and control groups were treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX, USA) from 1997 to 2015. We used the institutional medical database to locate these patients. Patients were included as cases if they were treated for a primary cancer, subsequently developed therapy-related myeloid neoplasms, and had available paired samples of bone marrow from the time of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm diagnosis and peripheral blood from the time of primary cancer diagnosis. Patients were eligible for inclusion as age-matched controls if they were treated for lymphoma, received combination chemotherapy, and did not develop therapy-related myeloid neoplasms after at least 5 years of follow-up. We used molecular barcode sequencing of 32 genes on the pretreatment peripheral blood samples to detect clonal haemopoiesis. For cases, we also used targeted gene sequencing on bone marrow samples and investigated clonal evolution from clonal haemopoiesis to the development of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. To further clarify the association between clonal haemopoiesis and therapy-related myeloid neoplasm development, we also analysed the prevalence of clonal haemopoiesis in an external cohort of patients with lymphoma who were treated in a randomised trial of front-line chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, with or without melatonin. This trial was done at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 1999 and 2001 (protocol number 98-009). Findings We identified 14 cases and 54 controls. Of the 14 cases, we detected clonal haemopoiesis in the peripheral blood samples of ten (71%) patients. We detected clonal haemopoiesis in 17 (31%) of the 54 controls. The cumulative incidence of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms in both cases and controls at 5 years was significantly higher in patients with clonal haemopoiesis (30%, 95% CI 16–51) than in those without (7%, 2–21; p=0·016). In the external cohort, five (7%) of 74 patients developed therapy-related myeloid neoplasms, of whom four (80%) had clonal haemopoiesis; 11 (16%) of 69 patients who did not develop therapy-related myeloid neoplasms had clonal haemopoiesis. In the external cohort, the cumulative incidence of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms at 10 years was significantly higher in patients with clonal haemopoiesis (29%, 95% CI 8–53) than in those without (0%, 0–0; p=0·0009). In a multivariate Fine and Gray model based on the external cohort, the presence of clonal haemopoiesis significantly increased the risk of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm development (hazard ratio 13·7, 95% CI 1·7–108·7; p=0·013). Interpretation Preleukaemic clonal haemopoiesis is common in patients with therapy-related myeloid neoplasms at the time of their primary cancer diagnosis and before they have been exposed to treatment. Our results suggest that clonal haemopoiesis could be used as a predictive marker to identify patients with cancer who are at risk of developing therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. A prospective trial to validate this concept is warranted. Funding Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas, Red and Charline McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer, NIH through MD Anderson Cancer Center Support Grant, and the MD Anderson MDS & AML Moon Shots Program.
Summary Background Combination of chemotherapy with a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor is effective in the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Ponatinib is a more ...potent BCR-ABL1 inhibitor than all other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors and selectively suppresses the resistant T315I clones. We examined the activity and safety of combining chemotherapy with ponatinib for patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in this continuing phase 2 trial. Methods In this single-centre, phase 2, single-arm trial, adult patients with previously untreated Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were sequentially enrolled. Patients who had received fewer than two courses of previous chemotherapy with or without tyrosine-kinase inhibitors were also eligible. Patients had to be aged 18 years or older, have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2 or less, have normal cardiac function (defined by ejection fraction above 50%), and have adequate organ function (serum bilirubin ≤3·0 mg/dL and serum creatinine ≤3·0 mg/dL, unless higher concentrations were believed to be due to a tumour). Patients received eight cycles of hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (hyper-CVAD) alternating with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine every 21 days. Ponatinib 45 mg was given daily for the first 14 days of cycle 1 then continuously for the subsequent cycles. Patients in complete remission received maintenance with ponatinib 45 mg daily with vincristine and prednisone monthly for 2 years followed by ponatinib indefinitely. The primary endpoint for this study was event-free survival. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT01424982. Findings 37 patients were enrolled and treated from Nov 1, 2011, to Sept 1, 2013. 2-year event-free survival rate was 81% (95% CI 64–90). Grade 3 or more toxic effects included infections during induction (20 54% patients), increased aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase concentration (14 38% patients), thrombotic events (three 8%), myocardial infarction (three 8%), hypertension (six 16%), skin rash (eight 22%), and pancreatitis (six 16% patients). Two patients died from from myocardial infarction potentially related to treatment; another patient also died from myocardial infarction related to sepsis. Two further patients died, one from bleeding and another from infection, both deemed unrelated to treatment. Interpretation The first results of this ongoing trial indicate that the combination of chemotherapy with ponatinib is effective in achieving early sustained remissions in patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. New strategies, including dosing titration of ponatinib and optimised control of vascular risk factors, might further improve outcomes. Funding ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Summary Background Available treatments for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) have limited durable activity and unsatisfactory safety profiles in most elderly patients. We assessed the efficacy and ...toxicity of sapacitabine, a novel oral cytosine nucleoside analogue, in elderly patients with AML. Methods In this randomised, phase 2 study, we recruited patients with AML who were either treatment naive or at first relapse and who were aged 70 years or older from 12 centres in the USA. We used a computer-generated randomisation sequence to randomly allocate eligible patients to receive one of three schedules of oral sapacitabine (1:1:1; stratified by a history of AML treatment): 200 mg twice a day for 7 days (group A); 300 mg twice a day for 7 days (group B); and 400 mg twice a day for 3 days each week for 2 weeks (group C). All schedules were given in 28 day cycles. To confirm the safety and tolerability of dosing schedules, after 20 patients had been treated in a group we enrolled an expanded cohort of 20–25 patients to that group if at least four patients had achieved complete remission or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery, and if the 30 day death rate was 20% or less. Our primary endpoint was 1-year overall survival, analysed by intention-to-treat (ie, patients who have received at least one dose of sapacitabine) in those patients who had been randomly allocated to treatment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00590187. Results Between Dec 27, 2007, and April 21, 2009, we enrolled 105 patients: 86 patients were previously untreated and 19 were at first relapse. Of the 60 patients randomly allocated to treatment, 1-year overall survival was 35% (95% CI 16–59) in group A, 10% (2–33) in group B, and 30% (13–54) in group C. 14 (13%) of 105 patients died within 30 days and 27 (26%) died within 60 days. The most common grade 3–4 adverse events were anaemia (eight of 40 patients in group A, 12 of 20 patients in group B, and 15 of 45 patients in group C), neutropenia (14 in group A, 10 in group B, 11 in group C), thrombocytopenia (24 in group A, 12 in group B, and 22 in group C), febrile neutropenia (16 in group A, nine in group B, and 22 in group C), and pneumonia (seven in group A, five in group B, and 10 in group C). The most common grade 5 events were pneumonia (two in group A, one in group B, and three in group C) and sepsis (six in group A, three in group B, and one in group C). Seven deaths were thought to be probably or possibly related to sapacitabine treatment. Interpretation Sapacitabine seems active and tolerable in elderly patients with AML. The 400 mg dose schedule had the best efficacy profile. Future investigations should aim to combine sapacitabine with other low-intensity therapies in elderly patients with AML. Funding Cyclacel Limited.
Summary Background Hypomethylating drugs are the standard treatment for patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes. Survival is poor after failure of these drugs; there is no approved ...second-line therapy. We compared the overall survival of patients receiving rigosertib and best supportive care with that of patients receiving best supportive care only in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes with excess blasts after failure of azacitidine or decitabine treatment. Methods We did this randomised controlled trial at 74 hospitals and university medical centres in the USA and Europe. We enrolled patients with diagnosis of refractory anaemia with excess blasts (RAEB)-1, RAEB-2, RAEB-t, or chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia based on local site assessment, and treatment failure with a hypomethylating drug in the past 2 years. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive rigosertib 1800 mg per 24 h via 72-h continuous intravenous infusion administered every other week or best supportive care with or without low-dose cytarabine. Randomisation was stratified by pretreatment bone marrow blast percentage. Neither patients nor investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary outcome was overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT01241500. Findings From Dec 13, 2010, to Aug 15, 2013, we enrolled 299 patients: 199 assigned to rigosertib, 100 assigned to best supportive care. Median follow-up was 19·5 months (IQR 11·9–27·3). As of Feb 1, 2014, median overall survival was 8·2 months (95% CI 6·1–10·1) in the rigosertib group and 5·9 months (4·1–9·3) in the best supportive care group (hazard ratio 0·87, 95% CI 0·67–1·14; p=0·33). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events were anaemia (34 18% of 184 patients in the rigosertib group vs seven 8% of 91 patients in the best supportive care group), thrombocytopenia (35 19% vs six 7%), neutropenia (31 17% vs seven 8%), febrile neutropenia (22 12% vs ten 11%), and pneumonia (22 12% vs ten 11%). 41 (22%) of 184 patients in the rigosertib group and 30 (33%) of 91 patients in the best supportive care group died due to adverse events and three deaths were attributed to rigosertib treatment. Interpretation Rigosertib did not significantly improve overall survival compared with best supportive care. A randomised phase 3 trial of rigosertib ( NCT 02562443 ) is underway in specific subgroups of patients deemed to be at high risk, including patients with very high risk per the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System criteria. Funding Onconova Therapeutics, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The standard of care for myelodysplastic syndromes is hypomethylating agents such as azacitidine. However, responses to azacitidine are generally temporary, and outcomes after hypomethylating agent ...failure are dismal. Therefore, the development of more effective treatments is crucial to improve outcomes in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. We aimed to assess azacitidine and lenalidomide in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukaemia.
We did this single-arm phase 1/2 study at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, TX, USA. Patients of any age were eligible for phase 1 and 2a if they had relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia or myelodysplastic syndrome with bone marrow blasts more than 10%. For phase 2b, eligible participants were previously untreated with myelodysplastic syndrome with an International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) score of intermediate-1 or higher with up to 30% blasts. All participants received 75 mg/m(2) azacitidine once a day for days 1-5 for each 28 day cycle. We gave patients oral lenalidomide for 5 or 10 days starting on day 6. We assessed seven lenalidomide doses in a 3 + 3 phase 1 design (n=28). The primary endpoint in phase 1 was the maximum tolerated dose, and the primary endpoint in phase 2 was overall survival. Outcome analyses were by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01038635.
Between Dec 30, 2009, and June, 17, 2013, we enrolled 88 patients (28 in phase 1 and 60 in phase 2). One patient unexpectedly died in the phase 1 study at the highest dose level, six more patients were recruited with no further serious adverse events. We recorded no dose-limiting toxic effects, and the maximum tolerated dose of lenalidomide in combination with azacitidine in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome was initially established at 50 mg per day for 10 days. In the first 20 patients in phase 2, we noted a high rate of myelosuppression and myelosuppression-related toxic effects; therefore, we amended the lenalidomide dose to 25 mg per day for 5 days. We also adjusted the inclusion criteria to include patients with less than 30% blasts to focus mainly on patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Median overall survival was 75 weeks (IQR 25-not reached) for the 40 patients in phase 2b. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events overall were neutropenic fever (n=27) and pneumonia (n=18).
We have identified a safe and active sequential treatment combination of azacitidine and lenalidomide for patient with myelodysplastic syndrome and have preliminary evidence that this dose is also safe for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.
MD Anderson Cancer Center and Celgene.
Summary Background The importance of matching at the HLA C locus has not been well defined for unrelated umbilical-cord blood transplantation. The selection algorithm for umbilical-cord blood units ...generally considers intermediate resolution HLA typing at A and B and allele-level typing at DRB1. We aimed to establish the relative importance of additional matching at HLA C. Methods We used Cox regression to assess retrospectively the effect of donor–recipient HLA matching on outcomes of single umbilical-cord blood transplantations for leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Our primary endpoint was transplant-related mortality. HLA typing was done with molecular techniques with a minimum of intermediate resolution for HLA A, B, and C, and at the allele-level for DRB1. Findings The median age of our study population was 10 years (range <1–62) and 552 (69%) of 803 patients were aged 16 years or younger at transplantation. Compared with transplantations matched at HLA A, B, C, and DRB1 (n=69), transplant-related mortality risk was higher after transplantations matched at HLA A, B, and DRB1 and mismatched at HLA C (n=23; HR 3·97, 95% CI 1·27–12·40; p=0·018). Transplant-related mortality risk was also higher after transplantations with a single mismatch at HLA A, B, or DRB1 and mismatched at HLA C (n=234; 1·70, 1·06–2·74; p=0·029) compared with transplantations matched at HLA C with a single mismatch at HLA A, B, or DRB1 (n=127). Assessing the overall effect of HLA disparity on transplant-related mortality, risks were higher with units mismatched at two (n=259; 3·27, 1·42–7·54; p=0·006), three (n=253; 3·34, 1·45–7·71; p=0·005), or four (n=75; 3·51, 1·44–8·58; p=0·006) loci compared with matched units (n=69). Interpretation Our data suggest that the present strategy for umbilical-cord blood unit selection should be reassessed; matching at HLA C for units that are matched at HLA A, B, or DRB1 or in the presence of a single locus mismatch at HLA A, B, or DRB1 should be included to minimise mortality risks. Funding National Cancer Institute, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, US Department of the Navy, Children's Leukemia Research Association, and INSERM.
Summary Background Trastuzumab resistance is a key therapeutic challenge in metastatic breast cancer. We postulated that broader inhibition of ErbB receptors with afatinib would improve clinical ...outcomes compared with HER2 inhibition alone in patients who had progressed on previous trastuzumab treatment. LUX-Breast 1 compared afatinib plus vinorelbine with trastuzumab plus vinorelbine for such patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Methods We did this open-label trial at 350 hospitals in 41 countries worldwide. We enrolled female patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer who had progressed on or following adjuvant trastuzumab or first-line treatment of metastatic disease with trastuzumab. Participants were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive oral afatinib (40 mg/day) plus intravenous vinorelbine (25 mg/m2 per week) or intravenous trastuzumab (2 mg/kg per week after 4 mg/kg loading dose) plus vinorelbine. Randomisation was done centrally and stratified by previous trastuzumab treatment (adjuvant vs first-line treatment), hormone receptor status (oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor positive vs others), and region. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is closed to enrolment and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT01125566. Findings Between Aug 26, 2010, and April 26, 2013, we enrolled 508 patients: 339 assigned to the afatinib group and 169 assigned to the trastuzumab group. Recruitment was stopped on April 26, 2013, after a benefit–risk assessment by the independent data monitoring committee was unfavourable for the afatinib group. Patients on afatinib plus vinorelbine had to switch to trastuzumab plus vinorelbine, afatinib monotherapy, vinorelbine monotherapy, or receive treatment outside of the trial. Median follow-up was 9·3 months (IQR 3·7–16·0). Median progression-free survival was 5·5 months (95% CI 5·4–5·6) in the afatinib group and 5·6 months (5·3–7·3) in the trastuzumab group (hazard ratio 1·10 95% CI 0·86–1·41; p=0·43). The most common drug-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher were neutropenia (190 56% of 337 patients in the afatinib group vs 102 60% of 169 patients in the trastuzumab group), leucopenia (64 19% vs 34 20%), and diarrhoea (60 18% vs none). Interpretation Trastuzumab-based therapy remains the treatment of choice for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who had progressed on trastuzumab. Funding Boehringer Ingelheim.
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