Atrial Flutter

-- Findings Presented on VASCEPA/VAZKEPA Utility in REDUCE-IT Patient Subgroups by Baseline High/Low Lp(a), LDL-C Levels -- -- Lp(a) Results Published Simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) – DUBLIN, Ireland and BRIDGEWATER, N.J., April 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarin Corporation plc (NASDAQ:AMRN) today highlighted two data presentations at ACC.24 describing the effects of VASCEPA®/VAZKEPA® (icosapent ethyl) on reducing MACE (Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events) in patients with baseline high or low Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels, as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events in patients irrespective of baseline LDL-C level. The REDUCE-IT analysis results relating Lp(a) concentrations with CV risk were also published online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). “These new findings provide additional important evidence about the clinical utility of VASCEPA/VAZKEPA and further demonstrate its value in reducing cardiovascular events in at-risk patients in key subgroups,” said Nabil Abadir, MB. CH.B., Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Medical Affairs, Amarin. “At Amarin, we’re focused on the continuous generation of science to further advance the medical community’s understanding of the role and value of VASCEPA/VAZKEPA in reducing cardiovascular events in at-risk patients globally, and we are proud to add to the body of research that further demonstrates our commitment to value creation.” The subgroup analyses and their key findings are outlined below: Icosapent Ethyl Reduces MACE in Patients with Elevated Triglycerides and High or Low Lipoprotein(a) Concentrations: A REDUCE-IT Subanalysis High Lp(a) concentrations are associated with increased CV event risk, even when LDL-C levels are well-managed. There are no treatments currently approved to reduce residual CV risk on top of contemporary medical therapy in patients with high Lp(a) levels. In this post hoc analysis of REDUCE-IT, the relationship between continuous baseline Lp(a) concentration and risk of MACE was analyzed in models that also accounted for baseline LDL-C, baseline triglycerides (TG), and double-blind treatment. REDUCE-IT participants were randomized to receive either 2g twice daily of icosapent ethyl (IPE) or matching placebo and followed for a median 4.9 years. In this subanalysis, there were 7,026 REDUCE-IT patients with baseline Lp(a) data and a median Lp(a) value of 11.6 (Q1-Q3: 5.0-37.4) mg/dL. Results showed that baseline Lp(a) had a strong and significant relationship with MACE irrespective of baseline LDL-C, baseline TGs, and treatment assignment, and that the benefit of IPE was consistent across Lp(a) concentrations. Importantly, the treatment benefit of IPE was evident across subgroups with both high (≥50 mg/dL) and low (<50 mg/dL) Lp(a) concentrations. Specifically, for first MACE, the relative IPE treatment effects for Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL and <50 mg/dL were HR 0.79 (95% CI 0.64-0.97; P=0.0248) and HR 0.75 (95% CI 0.66-0.84; P<0.0001), respectively. Absolute risk reductions at 5 years with IPE were 6.5% and 5.7% for Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL and <50 mg/dL, respectively.1 Limitations include that participants in REDUCE-IT were not selected on the basis of their baseline Lp(a) concentration and that not all REDUCE-IT patients had available baseline Lp(a) data. “In this analysis, IPE showed a clear clinical benefit for patients with both high and low Lp(a) levels. IPE provided a relative risk reduction of 21% among patients with an Lp(a) level of ≥50 mg/dL and 25% for those patients with an Lp(a) level of <50 mg/dL,” said Dr. Michael Szarek, professor, Division of Cardiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine and a faculty member at CPC Clinical Research. “These findings are important, as high baseline Lp(a) concentrations are a predictor for MACE, and this analysis reinforces IPE’s clinical benefit in these at-risk patient sub-populations.” The analysis and its findings were published simultaneously online in JACC. Efficacy of Icosapent Ethyl for Reducing Cardiovascular Outcomes by Baseline Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a well-established major CV risk factor supported by clinical evidence showing decreased atherosclerotic disease events when LDL-C is therapeutically lowered. Recent international guidelines recommend lowering LDL-C to <55 mg/dL in those patients who are at very high risk for a future CV event. In this post hoc analysis, investigators explored REDUCE-IT data to determine if IPE reduces CV outcomes among high-risk CV patients irrespective of baseline LDL-C. Patients were stratified by LDL-C <55 vs ≥55 mg/dL. The primary outcome was a composite of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, coronary revascularization, or unstable angina. Among statin-treated REDUCE-IT patients with baseline LDL-C data, 1,058 (12.9%) had LDL-C <55 mg/dL and 7,117 (87.1 %) had LDL-C ≥55 mg/dL. The primary outcome rate among patients with LDL-C <55 mg/dL was 16.2% in the IPE group and 22.8% in the placebo group, HR 0.66 (95% CI 0.50-0.87; P=0.003). Findings were consistent in the LDL-C ≥55 mg/dL subgroup, with rates of 17.4% in the IPE group and 21.9% in the placebo group, HR 0.76 (95% CI 0.69-0.85; P<0.0001). No significant interaction by baseline LDL-C was observed. Limitations are that randomization was not stratified by baseline LDL-C, however, baseline characteristics were similar among the two baseline LDL-C subgroups. REDUCE-IT patients were on statin therapy, but with low rates or unavailability of other lipid therapies such as ezetimibe, proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, or small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies. “As we know, LDL-C is a well-established major CV risk factor. These data are important and show that among adults with increased CV risk and elevated TGs, icosapent ethyl clearly reduced the rate of CV outcomes irrespective of baseline LDL-C, including in those with very well controlled LDL-C <55 mg/dL,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, MBA, Director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital. All analyses highlighted above were funded by Amarin. Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt served as the principal investigator for REDUCE-IT and his institution received research funding from Amarin. About AmarinAmarin is an innovative pharmaceutical company leading a new paradigm in cardiovascular disease management. We are committed to increasing the scientific understanding of the cardiovascular risk that persists beyond traditional therapies and advancing the treatment of that risk for patients worldwide. Amarin has offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey in the United States, Dublin in Ireland, Zug in Switzerland, and other countries in Europe as well as commercial partners and suppliers around the world. About REDUCE-IT® REDUCE-IT was a global cardiovascular outcomes study designed to evaluate the effect of VASCEPA in adult patients with LDL-C controlled to between 41-100 mg/dL (median baseline 75 mg/dL) by statin therapy and various cardiovascular risk factors including persistent elevated triglycerides between 135-499 mg/dL (median baseline 216 mg/dL) and either established cardiovascular disease (secondary prevention cohort) or diabetes mellitus and at least one other cardiovascular risk factor (primary prevention cohort). REDUCE-IT, conducted over seven years and completed in 2018, followed 8,179 patients at over 400 clinical sites in 11 countries with the largest number of sites located within the United States. REDUCE-IT was conducted based on a special protocol assessment agreement with FDA. The design of the REDUCE-IT study was published in March 2017 in Clinical Cardiology.2 The primary results of REDUCE-IT were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in November 2018.3 The total events results of REDUCE-IT were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in March 2019.4 These and other publications can be found in the R&D section on the company’s website at www.amarincorp.com. About Cardiovascular Risk Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the world. In the United States alone, cardiovascular disease results in 859,000 deaths per year.5 And the number of deaths in the United States attributed to cardiovascular disease continues to rise. In addition, in the United States there are 605,000 new and 200,000 recurrent heart attacks per year (approximately 1 every 40 seconds). Stroke rates are 795,000 per year (approximately 1 every 40 seconds), accounting for 1 of every 19 U.S. deaths. In aggregate, in the United States alone, there are more than 2.4 million major adverse cardiovascular events per year from cardiovascular disease or, on average, 1 every 13 seconds. Controlling bad cholesterol, also known as LDL-C, is one way to reduce a patient’s risk for cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke or death. However, even with the achievement of target LDL-C levels, millions of patients still have significant and persistent risk of cardiovascular events, especially those patients with elevated triglycerides. Statin therapy has been shown to control LDL-C, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular events by 25-35%.6 Significant cardiovascular risk remains after statin therapy. People with elevated triglycerides have 35% more cardiovascular events compared to people with normal (in range) triglycerides taking statins.7,8,9 About VASCEPA®/VAZKEPA® (icosapent ethyl) CapsulesVASCEPA (icosapent ethyl) capsules are the first prescription treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comprised solely of the active ingredient, icosapent ethyl (IPE), a unique form of eicosapentaenoic acid. VASCEPA was launched in the United States in January 2020 as the first drug approved by the U.S. FDA for treatment of the studied high-risk patients with persistent cardiovascular risk despite being on statin therapy. VASCEPA was initially launched in the United States in 2013 based on the drug’s initial FDA approved indication for use as an adjunct therapy to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with severe (≥500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia. Since launch, VASCEPA has been prescribed more than twenty million times. VASCEPA is covered by most major medical insurance plans. In addition to the United States, VASCEPA is approved and sold in Canada, China, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. In Europe, in March 2021 marketing authorization was granted to icosapent ethyl in the European Union for the reduction of risk of cardiovascular events in patients at high cardiovascular risk, under the brand name VAZKEPA. In April 2021 marketing authorization for VAZKEPA (icosapent ethyl) was granted in Great Britain (applying to England, Scotland and Wales). VAZKEPA (icosapent ethyl) is currently approved and sold in Europe in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria, the UK, Spain and the Netherlands. United StatesIndications and Limitation of UseVASCEPA is indicated: As an adjunct to maximally tolerated statin therapy to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization and unstable angina requiring hospitalization in adult patients with elevated triglyceride (TG) levels (≥ 150 mg/dL) and established cardiovascular disease ordiabetes mellitus and two or more additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. As an adjunct to diet to reduce TG levels in adult patients with severe (≥ 500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia. The effect of VASCEPA on the risk for pancreatitis in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia has not been determined. Important Safety Information VASCEPA is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic reaction) to VASCEPA or any of its components.VASCEPA was associated with an increased risk (3% vs 2%) of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter requiring hospitalization in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was greater in patients with a previous history of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.It is not known whether patients with allergies to fish and/or shellfish are at an increased risk of an allergic reaction to VASCEPA. Patients with such allergies should discontinue VASCEPA if any reactions occur.VASCEPA was associated with an increased risk (12% vs 10%) of bleeding in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The incidence of bleeding was greater in patients receiving concomitant antithrombotic medications, such as aspirin, clopidogrel or warfarin.Common adverse reactions in the cardiovascular outcomes trial (incidence ≥3% and ≥1% more frequent than placebo): musculoskeletal pain (4% vs 3%), peripheral edema (7% vs 5%), constipation (5% vs 4%), gout (4% vs 3%), and atrial fibrillation (5% vs 4%).Common adverse reactions in the hypertriglyceridemia trials (incidence >1% more frequent than placebo): arthralgia (2% vs 1%) and oropharyngeal pain (1% vs 0.3%).Adverse events may be reported by calling 1-855-VASCEPA or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.Patients receiving VASCEPA and concomitant anticoagulants and/or anti-platelet agents should be monitored for bleeding. FULL U.S. FDA-APPROVED VASCEPA PRESCRIBING INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.VASCEPA.COM. Europe For further information about the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for VAZKEPA® in Europe, please click here. Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including beliefs about the potential for VASCEPA (marketed as VAZKEPA in Europe); beliefs about icosapent ethyl (IPE)’s role concerning appropriate patients suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and potential population health impact, as well as general beliefs about the safety and effectiveness of VASCEPA. These forward-looking statements are not promises or guarantees and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks associated with an investment in Amarin can be found in Amarin's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Amarin’s annual report on Form 10-K for the full year ended 2023. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Amarin undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. Amarin’s forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of significant transactions the company may enter into, such as mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures or any material agreements that Amarin may enter into, amend or terminate. Availability of Other Information About Amarin communicates with its investors and the public using the company website (www.amarincorp.com) and the investor relations website (amarincorp.com/investor-relations), including but not limited to investor presentations and FAQs, Securities and Exchange Commission filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. The information that Amarin posts on these channels and websites could be deemed to be material information. As a result, Amarin encourages investors, the media and others interested in Amarin to review the information that is posted on these channels, including the investor relations website, on a regular basis. This list of channels may be updated from time to time on Amarin’s investor relations website and may include social media channels. The contents of Amarin’s website or these channels, or any other website that may be accessed from its website or these channels, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933. Amarin Contact InformationInvestor & Media Inquiries:Mark MarmurAmarin Corporation plcPR@amarincorp.comInvestor.relations@amarincorp.com 1 Szarek M, Bhatt DL, Miller M, et al. Lipoprotein(a) blood levels and cardiovascular risk reduction with icosapent ethyl. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024; epub ahead of print.2 Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Brinton E, et al., on behalf of the REDUCE-IT Investigators. Rationale and Design of REDUCE‐IT: Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl–Intervention Trial. Clin Cardiol. 2017;40:138-148.3 Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Miller M, et al., on behalf of the REDUCE-IT Investigators. Cardiovascular Risk Reduction with Icosapent Ethyl for Hypertriglyceridemia. N Engl J Med. 2019;380:11-22.4 Bhatt DL, Steg PG, Miller M, et al., on behalf of the REDUCE-IT Investigators. Effects of Icosapent Ethyl on Total Ischemic Events: From REDUCE-IT. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73:2791-2802.5 American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2020 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020;141:e139-e596.6 Ganda OP, Bhatt DL, Mason RP, et al. Unmet need for adjunctive dyslipidemia therapy in hypertriglyceridemia management. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;72(3):330-343.7 Budoff M. Triglycerides and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in the causal pathway of cardiovascular disease. Am J Cardiol. 2016;118:138-145.8 Toth PP, Granowitz C, Hull M, et al. High triglycerides are associated with increased cardiovascular events, medical costs, and resource use: A real-world administrative claims analysis of statin-treated patients with high residual cardiovascular risk. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(15):e008740.9 Nordestgaard BG. Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease - New insights from epidemiology, genetics, and biology. Circ Res. 2016;118:547-563

None By: Mehrdad Mobasher, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer, Hematology at BeiGene The steady increase in treatment advancements for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has provided new hope for patients whose options were previously limited. Now, currently available treatments, such as Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, have become established standard of care in the first-line and refractory settings and have vastly improved patient treatment outcomes. Promising investigational therapies in development could further change the treatment landscape in these settings as well. But with more options available, the burden is on the scientific community to provide the most robust and clinically relevant data to support treatment decisions made by physicians and patients. The “gold standard” of making clinical treatment decisions is head-to-head randomized clinical trials, often comparing combinations of agents and even within a drug class. There have been recent head-to-head clinical trials of BTK inhibitors in R/R CLL, including BeiGene’s global Phase 3 ALPINE trial of BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) versus ibrutinib, in which BRUKINSA demonstrated sustained superiority in progression-free survival (PFS).[i] Acalabrutinib, another BTK inhibitor, has demonstrated improvement in PFS versus rituximab plus idelalisib/bendamustine in R/R CLL in the ASCEND trial and has also demonstrated PFS noninferiority versus ibrutinib in R/R CLL patients with chromosome 17p or 11q deletions in the ELEVATE-RR trial.[ii],[iii] However, there are currently no head-to-head clinical trials that compare this next generation of BTK inhibitors. In the absence of these trials, there are a variety of statistical methodologies available to researchers, aiming to derive “apples-to-apples” comparisons between existing data sets, such as matching adjusted indirect comparisons or “MAICs” and network meta-analyses. Healthcare providers, as well as broader audiences, should be aware of the limitations of MAIC analyses when comparing treatment options. It is important to remember they are meant to be hypothesis-generating and do not establish superior efficacy or safety of one drug over another. The end goal is to allow physicians and patients to make informed decisions, and that requires a commitment to transparency and rigor in the comparative analyses of data sets. A recently conducted MAIC presented at the 28th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies® (Shadman et al) evaluated the relative efficacy of BRUKINSA versus acalabrutinib in R/R CLL based on data from the Phase 3 ALPINE and Phase 3 ASCEND trials.[iv] The analysis was conducted to address significant limitations of a MAIC previously published in The American Journal of Hematology (Kittai et al), some of which were acknowledged by the study authors.[v] The Shadman et al MAIC suggested a progression-free survival (PFS) and complete response (CR) advantage for BRUKINSA versus acalabrutinib, as well as potentially improved overall survival. The results differ from the previous MAIC, likely because it addressed certain important limitations that precluded a robust efficacy comparison in the previous MAIC. Limitations of the prior MAIC included: Disparate Data Cut-offs: The Kittai et al MAIC had a ~17 month difference in the median efficacy data cut-offs used for each trial. The Shadman et al MAIC analysis used closely matched data cut-offs using most recent data from ALPINE, which was presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition 2023 and showed durable PFS response after a median study follow-up of 36.3 months, with only a 3-month difference.[vi]   Limited Matching Criteria: Variables with significant differences across trials, such as number of prior therapies, were not included in the Kittai et al MAIC. The Shadman et al MAIC used a comprehensive matching criteria.   No Adjustment for COVID-19: In the Kittai et al MAIC, the data cutoff used for ALPINE was August 2022 (post-pandemic), while the data cutoff for ASCEND was February 2020 (pre-pandemic). The Shadman et al MAIC adjusted for the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on ALPINE patients, an important factor for patients with CLL.   Imbalanced Effective Sample Size: In the Kittai et al MAIC, 327 patients from ALPINE were compared with only 99 patients from ASCEND.  The Shadman et al MAIC balanced the populations being compared (185 from ALPINE and 155 from ASCEND). Patients and physicians deserve the most comprehensive and rigorous data sets when it comes to evaluating potential treatments. This is why BeiGene’s research and development team focuses on best-in-class science and research, such as our BRUKINSA clinical development program, and we strive to fulfill this mission each and every day. U.S. Indications and Important Safety Information for BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib) INDICATIONS BRUKINSA is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION  Warnings and Precautions  Hemorrhage  Fatal and serious hemorrhage has occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA. Grade 3 or higher hemorrhage including intracranial and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hematuria, and hemothorax was reported in 3.8% of patients treated with BRUKINSA in clinical trials, with fatalities occurring in 0.2% of patients. Bleeding of any grade, excluding purpura and petechiae, occurred in 32% of patients. Bleeding has occurred in patients with and without concomitant antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy. Coadministration of BRUKINSA with antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications may further increase the risk of hemorrhage.  Monitor for signs and symptoms of bleeding. Discontinue BRUKINSA if intracranial hemorrhage of any grade occurs. Consider the benefit-risk of withholding BRUKINSA for 3-7 days before and after surgery depending upon the type of surgery and the risk of bleeding.  Infections  Fatal and serious infections (including bacterial, viral, or fungal infections) and opportunistic infections have occurred in patients with hematological malignancies treated with BRUKINSA. Grade 3 or higher infections occurred in 26% of patients, most commonly pneumonia (7.9%), with fatal infections occurring in 3.2% of patients. Infections due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation have occurred. Consider prophylaxis for herpes simplex virus, pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, and other infections according to standard of care in patients who are at increased risk for infections. Monitor and evaluate patients for fever or other signs and symptoms of infection and treat appropriately. Cytopenias Grade 3 or 4 cytopenias, including neutropenia (21%), thrombocytopenia (8%) and anemia (8%) based on laboratory measurements, developed in patients treated with BRUKINSA. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 10% of patients, and Grade 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 2.5% of patients. Monitor complete blood counts regularly during treatment and interrupt treatment, reduce the dose, or discontinue treatment as warranted. Treat using growth factor or transfusions, as needed.  Second Primary Malignancies  Second primary malignancies, including non-skin carcinoma, have occurred in 14% of patients treated with BRUKINSA. The most frequent second primary malignancy was non-melanoma skin cancers (8%), followed by other solid tumors in 7% of the patients (including melanoma in 1% of patients) and hematologic malignancies (0.7%). Advise patients to use sun protection and monitor patients for the development of second primary malignancies. Cardiac Arrhythmias   Serious cardiac arrhythmias have occurred in patients treated with BRUKINSA. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were reported in 4.4% patients treated with BRUKINSA, including Grade 3 or higher cases in 1.9% of patients.  Patients with cardiac risk factors, hypertension, and acute infections may be at increased risk. Grade 3 or higher ventricular arrhythmias were reported in 0.3% of patients.   Monitor for signs and symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., palpitations, dizziness, syncope, dyspnea, chest discomfort), manage appropriately, and consider the risks and benefits of continued BRUKINSA treatment. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity  Based on findings in animals, BRUKINSA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Administration of zanubrutinib to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis caused embryo-fetal toxicity, including malformations at exposures that were 5 times higher than those reported in patients at the recommended dose of 160 mg twice daily. Advise women to avoid becoming pregnant while taking BRUKINSA and for 1 week after the last dose. Advise men to avoid fathering a child during treatment and for 1 week after the last dose. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to a fetus.  Adverse Reactions  The most common adverse reactions (≥30%), including laboratory abnormalities, in patients who received BRUKINSA (N=1729) are decreased neutrophil count (51%), decreased platelet count (41%), upper respiratory tract infection (38%), hemorrhage (32%), and musculoskeletal pain (31%).   Drug Interactions  CYP3A Inhibitors: When BRUKINSA is co-administered with a strong CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg once daily.  For coadministration with a moderate CYP3A inhibitor, reduce BRUKINSA dose to 80 mg twice daily.  CYP3A Inducers: Avoid coadministration with strong or moderate CYP3A inducers. Dose adjustment may be recommended with moderate CYP3A inducers.  Specific Populations  Hepatic Impairment: The recommended dose of BRUKINSA for patients with severe hepatic impairment is 80 mg orally twice daily. Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information including U.S. Patient Information at BRUKINSA.com.   [i] Brown JR, et al. Zanubrutinib or Ibrutinib in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2023 Jan 26;388(4):319-332. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2211582. Epub 2022 Dec 13. PMID: 36511784. [ii] Ghia P, et al. ASCEND: Phase III, Randomized Trial of Acalabrutinib Versus Idelalisib Plus Rituximab or Bendamustine Plus Rituximab in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2020 Sep 1;38(25):2849-2861. doi: 10.1200/JCO.19.03355. Epub 2020 May 27. PMID: 32459600. [iii] Sharman JP, et al. Acalabrutinib with or without obinutuzumab versus chlorambucil and obinutuzmab for treatment-naive chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (ELEVATE TN): a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2020 Apr 18;395(10232):1278-1291. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30262-2. Erratum in: Lancet. 2020 May 30;395(10238):1694. PMID: 32305093; PMCID: PMC8151619. [iv] Shadman M, Brown JR, Williams R, et al. Efficacy of zanubrutinib versus acalabrutinib in the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (R/R CLL): a matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC). Presented at: 28th International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies; February 29 to March 3, 2024. Miami, Florida. [v] Kittai AS, et al. A matching-adjusted indirect comparison of acalabrutinib versus zanubrutinib in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Am J Hematol. 2023 Dec;98(12):E387-E390. doi: 10.1002/ajh.27110. Epub 2023 Oct 9. PMID: 37811799. [vi] Brown JR, et al. Extended follow-up of ALPINE randomized phase 3 study confirms sustained superior progression-free survival of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib for treatment of relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL). Presented at: 65th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting & Exposition; December 9-12, 2023; San Diego, California; Paper No. 0202. https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1182/blood-2023-174289

甲状腺疾病全球流行病学情况与人口碘摄入情况密切相关。根据《中国老年人甲状腺疾病诊疗专家共识（2021）》，中国甲状腺疾病总体患病率为50.96%。在碘充足地区，甲状腺功能亢进症（甲亢）和亚临床甲亢各影响约5%的人口，以毒性弥漫性甲状腺肿（Grave's病）多见；在碘缺乏地区，甲亢患病率较高，甲亢和亚临床甲亢的患病率可高达10%~15%，毒性结节性甲状腺肿比Grave’s病更多见，若采取有效措施纠正碘缺乏，则甲亢发病率呈现出短期内增加，而后逐渐降低至与碘充足地区类似的水平。近日，《柳叶刀》（The Lancet）发表一项研讨会内容，阐述了甲状腺疾病的病因、临床表现、并发症、诊断、治疗策略和未来研究重点方向，以期为临床预防和治疗甲状腺疾病提供参考。截图来源：The Lancet常见3大甲状腺疾病甲状腺毒症指各种原因导致的循环中甲状腺激素过量，引起以神经、循环、消化等系统兴奋性增高和代谢亢进为主要表现的一系列临床综合征，根据是否有甲亢，可分为甲亢性甲状腺毒症和非甲亢性甲状腺毒症。甲亢是甲状腺毒症的病因之一，是甲状腺自主持续性合成和分泌甲状腺激素增多而引起的甲状腺毒症，以Grave’s病最为常见，约占甲亢所有类型的80%。尽管甲状腺毒症和甲亢的术语经常互换使用，不同病因引起的甲状腺毒症患者临床表现相似，但治疗方案和预后不同，在临床上需要仔细鉴别甲状腺毒症的病因。临床实践中，Grave’s病、毒性结节性甲状腺肿和甲状腺炎是尤为常见的疾病类型，相比之下，其他原因（如卵巢甲状腺肿）引起的甲状腺毒症较为罕见。哪些表现可能是甲状腺疾病？由于甲亢病因并不完全明确，不同患者之间的症状表现差异较大。年龄可能是影响因素之一，通常老年人很少出现甲亢相关症状，尽管如此，对于以不明原因体重减轻、房颤或房扑、心悸、情绪改变和其他非特异性表现的主诉的老年人，仍然应提高疑似甲亢的临床判断。Grave’s病患者最常见的症状为甲状腺眼病，也称为“Grave’s眼病”或“眼眶病”，患病率约为25%~40%，而甲状腺皮肤病（胫前粘液水肿）、甲状腺肢端病（杵状指）和其他自身免疫性疾病，如脾肿大、胸腺肿大、脱发、白癜风、恶性贫血和荨麻疹等则较少见。甲亢患者病情严重时可能出现甲亢危象，可伴有一个或多个器官失代偿，发病率约为0.2%，60岁以上人群甲亢危象死亡率高达10%~17%。甲亢危象患者多表现为发热、精神状态改变、胃肠功能紊乱、心动过速伴心律失常和心衰，通常同时伴有急症，如感染、手术或分娩，几乎很少有患者在患病初期就出现甲亢危象。甲状腺疾病的临床指标有何变化？甲状腺毒症的特征为：游离甲状腺素（FT4）和总三碘甲状腺原氨酸（TT3）或游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸（FT3）浓度升高，血清促甲状腺激素（TSH）水平降低，通常低于0.01 mU/L。部分患者可能患有T3甲状腺毒症（FT4浓度在正常范围，但T3浓度增高），多见于病情较轻或早期患者。亚临床甲亢患者甲状腺激素水平在正常范围，但TSH水平异常。对于疑似Grave’s病的患者，特别是患者无典型Grave’s眼病或其他临床症状时，促甲状腺激素受体抗体（TRAb）是关键诊断指标。对于甲状腺毒症病因不明的患者，甲状腺造影和放射性同位素有助于明确病因，通常Grave’s病患者放射性同位素摄碘率升高或升高至正常，而甲状腺炎患者的放射性同位素摄碘率通常非常低或不存在。对于毒性甲状腺结节性甲状腺肿患者，甲状腺造影可以显示甲亢和甲减区域，即“热结节”和“冷结节”。甲状腺超声适用于确定在体格检查或扫描发现的甲状腺结节。甲状腺疾病的三大治疗策略β-受体阻滞剂可缓解甲亢症状。非选择性β-受体阻滞剂——普萘洛尔可长期使用，更长效的β1-受体阻滞剂，如阿替洛尔和美托洛尔也同样有效。甲状腺毒症伴甲亢首选治疗方式取决于潜在的病理生理机制，常用的治疗策略有：抗甲状腺药物、放射性碘治疗和甲状腺切除术。这三种治疗策略对Grave’s病同样有效，但抗甲状腺治疗药物更可能是患者首选治疗方式。对于毒性腺瘤或多结节性甲状腺肿的患者，放射性碘治疗和手术是首选方案。抗甲状腺药物硫氨酰胺类抗甲状腺药物包括：丙基硫氧嘧啶（PTU）、卡比马唑及其代谢产物甲巯咪唑。根据美国和欧洲指南的建议：对于新诊断为Grave’s甲亢的患者，可选用卡比马唑和甲巯咪唑治疗12~18个月，直到TSH水平恢复正常且TRAb为阴性，方可停药。若治疗期间患者TRAb水平持续升高或停药后复发，则可考虑选择卡比马唑和甲巯咪唑继续治疗12个月或更长时间，亦或是选择放射性碘治疗、甲状腺切除术等方式。抗甲状腺药物也有缺点，主要是单疗程治疗后复发率较高（约50%），特别是停药后的前6个月。不过，一项针对128例复发性Grave’s病的纵向研究显示，超过75%的患者在接受了抗甲状腺药物第二疗程治疗后，可达到长期缓解。此外，有证据表明，长期（5~10年）甚至终身使用低剂量的卡比马唑和甲巯咪唑是安全有效的。抗甲状腺药物的初始剂量取决于甲亢严重程度和甲状腺大小。初步控制住病情大约需要1~3个月，而后可将抗甲状腺药物剂量控制在维持正常甲状腺功能所需最低剂量。若病情难以被控制，可以考虑采用阻断和替代治疗方案，即用大剂量抗甲状腺药物完全阻断甲状腺功能，并使用左旋甲状腺素，以避免发生甲减。治疗4~6周后应开始检测甲状腺功能，避免过度治疗引起甲减，特别是Grave’s病，因为患者可能出现严重的甲状腺眼病。若患者达到生化甲状腺功能正常，随访间隔可延长至2~4个月。安全性方面，约有5%的患者可能出现轻微不适反应，包括瘙痒和胃肠道不适。抗甲状腺药物严重副作用比较罕见，仅有不到0.5%的患者可能出现粒细胞缺乏症，通常在治疗3个月发生，表现为发热、咽喉痛或二者兼有，若出现相关症状，且经临床医生证实为粒细胞缺乏症，则需永久停用抗甲状腺药物。放射性碘治疗放射性碘治疗是毒性腺瘤和毒性多结节性甲状腺肿的一线治疗方式，特别是患有合并症的老年患者，因为他们手术的风险很高。放射性碘治疗后第一周，T4和T3的浓度可能会短暂升高，不过Grave’s病中50%~85%的患者最终会进入甲减。此外，大约有10%的甲亢患者在采用放射性碘治疗后，仍无法缓解甲亢症状。放射性碘治疗可以作为一种明确的治疗选择，但并不能达到“立竿见影”的治疗效果，部分多结节甲状腺肿的体积可缩小60%，当然这也要看初始治疗时甲状腺的大小情况。一般来说，在开始放射性碘治疗前需要使用卡比马唑、甲巯咪唑或β受体阻滞剂，以控制甲亢并降低治疗后症状加重的风险，特别是老年患者和重度甲亢患者，通常在治疗前3~7天停药，然后在治疗后3~7天重新开始用药，一直到甲状腺功能正常。安全性方面，放射性碘治疗可能引起颈部压痛、已有甲状腺眼病病情进展或恶化，特别是吸烟人群。因此，放射性碘治疗禁用于伴有重度眼眶病变的Grave’s病患者，若是轻度眼眶病变或临床医生判定存在新发眼眶病变风险的患者（如吸烟、重度甲亢患者等），在接受放射性碘治疗之前，建议使用糖皮质激素进行预防。此外，放射性碘治疗的禁忌证还包括：怀孕（或计划未来6个月怀孕）、母乳喂养和无法遵守辐射安全预防措施人群。最后，尽管有部分研究认为，放射性碘治疗固定剂量和灵活剂量方案对癌症发病率和死亡率影响不存在差异，但也有证据表明，放射性碘治疗与实体瘤的死亡率之间存在剂量依赖性正相关，不过，相关研究结果仍存争议。甲状腺切除术甲状腺切除术可被视为毒性结节性甲状腺肿的一线治疗方案，以及Grave’s病的确定性治疗方案，特别是当其他治疗方案无效、患者无法耐受或存在治疗禁忌证、（疑似）恶性结节、大的甲状腺肿或并发原发性甲旁亢，或是甲状腺切除术为患者首选治疗方式时。对于Grave’s病，甲状腺全切术比甲状腺次全切除术效果更好，并发症情况类似，因此全切是首选。术前患者需要使用抗甲状腺药物，以使甲状腺功能正常；根据临床实践指南的推荐，术中可使用卢戈碘或碘化钾做预处理，以减少患者术中出血；术后患者还需使用左旋甲状腺素治疗。对于毒性结节性甲状腺肿，根据甲状腺结节的数量和分布情况，部分甲状腺切除术或甲状腺全切术都可能是合适的，且术后出现并发症几率较低（1%~2%），特别是主刀医生具有丰富的手术操作经验时（年手术次数＞25~50次）。术后可能出现的并发症包括：术后出血、甲状旁腺功能减退引起的低钙血症（通常为暂时性）和喉返神经损伤，发生概率均在1%左右。此外，还有些特殊类型的甲状腺疾病，如亚临床甲亢、妊娠甲亢等，本文不一一阐述。甲状腺疾病治疗的未来展望在过去的80年里，Grave’s病的治疗选择几乎没有发生过变化。尽管在治疗操作和安全性方面已取得了长足的进步，但现有的治疗方式仍较为有限，特别是停用抗甲状腺药物后，患者疾病复发率较高；以及放射性碘治疗或手术治疗后出现的甲状腺功能减退的问题。过去的10年里，关于Grave’s病的潜在治疗方法的不同作用机制已得到部分验证，不过这些临床研究规模较小，多为开放标签的1期和2期试验，仍有待更多的大型随机对照研究来佐证这些有希望的初步研究结果。达到并维持甲状腺功能正常，或是诱导和治疗甲状腺功能减退似乎有望改变甲亢死亡率高的问题。特别是使用放射性碘诱导甲减，随后采用T4替代疗法，或可降低心血管疾病和总死亡风险。但临床实践中，使用抗甲状腺药物让甲状腺功能维持正常，也不一定能降低死亡风险，这可能是因为患者在接受药物治疗时，甲状腺功能并不总是正常，且在停止药物治疗后还可能复发。目前，长期低剂量抗甲状腺药物治疗对心血管和总死亡的影响尚不明确，但或许是控制甲亢和避免复发的可行性策略，可能优于短期或重复治疗，且似乎对Grave’s病和结节性甲状腺肿同样有效。考虑到即将推出的新型免疫调节和其他靶向药，长期低剂量抗甲状腺药物或将成为治疗Grave’s病的有力选择之一，让我们共同期待这些治疗方式在未来的应用情况。对于部分自主良性甲状腺结节的患者，射频消融术或可作为替代治疗方案。此外，很多患者关心膳食补充剂（如维生素D、硒和Ω-3脂肪酸）是否可预防或治疗Grave’s病，从现有证据来看，虽然有部分研究探索了几种膳食补充剂的作用，但不同研究之间的数据存在相互矛盾的问题。最后，老年群体更容易罹患亚临床甲亢，而非甲亢。考虑纳入观察性研究的荟萃分析结果显示，亚临床甲亢患者更容易发生髋部和其他部位骨折、骨质疏松、心血管事件和死亡风险增加等问题，现有临床指南建议：对于血清TSH浓度低于0.1 mU/L的亚临床甲亢患者，无论是否有症状，都建议采取相关治疗措施（特别是老年患者）。不过，需要指出的是，尽管业内对于轻度亚临床甲亢的治疗尚未形成共识，但短期内开展相关临床对照试验以进一步了解和解决这一问题的可能性也较低。参考资料[1] Chaker L, Cooper DS, Walsh JP, Peeters RP. Hyperthyroidism. Lancet. 2024 Feb 24;403(10428):768-780. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02016-0. Epub 2024 Jan 23. PMID: 38278171.[2]中华医学会老年医学分会老年内分泌代谢疾病学组,中华医学会内分泌学分会甲状腺学组.中国老年人甲状腺疾病诊疗专家共识(2021)[J].中华内分泌代谢杂志, 2021, 37(5):20.DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn311282-20210502-00273.撰文 | 阿拉斯加宝编辑 | 阿拉斯加宝● 必须要重视了!!同一医院先后两名医学生自杀，一个月内三起！这些规培实习生为何如此绝望？如何避免悲剧再次发生？要警惕“维特效应”● Science重磅：长出头发和皮肤修复，都离不开这种常见的维生素！● “神药”减肥的机制明确了！连发两篇Nature，二甲双胍抑制食欲，竟与运动殊途同归？版权说明：梅斯医学（MedSci）是国内领先的医学科研与学术服务平台，致力于医疗质量的改进，为临床实践提供智慧、精准的决策支持，让医生与患者受益。欢迎个人转发至朋友圈，谢绝媒体或机构未经授权以任何形式转载至其他平台。点击下方「阅读原文」 立刻下载梅斯医学APP！