Drug Therapy 10% Flashcards
Which medications need to be biotransformed to their therapeutically active forms before they can exert their principle effects?
Prednisone Azathioprine MMF Cyclophosphamide Leflunomide
What family of enzymes in the liver account for over 70% of drug metabolism in humans?
Cytochrome P450
What factors predict more durable response to intra-articular steroid injections in JIA?
In oligoarticular JIA
Younger patients
Shorter disease duration
How do glucocorticoids work?
They are synthetic analogs of endogenous cortisol and have both anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
How do glucocorticoids cause immunosuppression?
Through reduction of circulating T lymphocytes
Affects T > B cells
Affects CD4+ T cells > CD8+ T cells
At what prednisone dose does growth suppression occur?
> = 3 mg/day
What is the most serious, life-threatening complication of chronic glucocorticoid use?
Acute adrenal insufficiency
At risk of vascular collapse, adrenal crisis, death
How does chronic glucocorticoid use cause osteoporosis?
Caused by osteoblast inhibition and apoptosis but also increased bone resorption by inhibition of gut absorption of Ca and increased urinary Ca excretion, potentially resulting in secondary hyperparathyroidism
Where is the most common location for avascular necrosis 2/2 glucocorticoid use?
Femoral head
What are hematologic side effects of glucocorticoids?
Transient lymphopenia and neutrophilia (neutrophil demargination)
What are some features that may help distinguish steroid-induced psychosis from psychosis 2/2 active lupus? (though still hard)
usually acute onset, occurs within 96 hours of initiation of steroids, and are related to high-dose steroids
What muscle fibers are affected by steroid-induced myopathy?
Atrophy of Type IIb myofibers
What are some features of steroid-induced myopathy?
Usually affect proximal muscles, is usually not painful, can have normal muscle enzymes, and EMG suggestive of myopathy
Methotrexate reduces the production of the following cytokines:
TNF, IFN-gamma, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8
How does methotrexate work?
Folic acid analog that is a competitive inhibitor of several enzymes in the folate pathway, including dihydrofolate reductase, TYMS, AICAR transformylase, adenosine deaminase resulting in adenosine accumulation and neutrophil adherence inhibition.
When is methotrexate use contraindicated?
Concurrent use with Bactrim increases risk of cytopenias due to synergistic effects on DHFR
Pregnancy
EtOH use
Renal or liver failure
How does methotrexate exert anti-inflammatory effect?
Adenosine accumulation may contribute to site-specific anti-inflammatory effects of methotrexate through inhibition of neutrophil adherence
Is methotrexate safe in pregnancy?
No. Teratogenic and fetogenic - increased risk of congenital anomalies and pregnancy loss with use during pregnancy.
Is breastfeeding okay in methotrexate?
No, methotrexate secreted in breast milk. Avoid breastfeeding.
What is azathioprine?
A purine analog that is metabolized to 6-mercaptopurine (6MP)
How does azathioprine exert immunosuppressive effect?
Immunosuppression primarily by inhibition of T cell growth during S phase of cell division
What are some relative contraindications to azathioprine?
In TPMT deficient patients
Concurrently with Bactrim
What idiosyncratic reaction can occur in TPMT deficient patients who receive azathioprine?
Arrest of granulocyte maturation
What is pharmacokinetics?
What the body does to the drug
What is pharmacodynamics?
What drug does to the body
What is bioavailability?
Expressed as a percentage and represents the amount of active drug that reaches the systemic circulation unaltered compared with when the drug is given IV
Affected by route given and dose
What is an example of pharmacogenetics/omics being used for precision medicine?
Checking TPMT enzyme activity or for TPMT gene variations prior to starting azathioprine
How do NSAIDs work?
Inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme in the metabolism of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and prostacyclins
Exception: indomethicin and diclofenac affect lipoxygenase pathway
How do NSAIDs work?
Inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme in the metabolism of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and prostacyclins
Exception: indomethicin and diclofenac affect lipoxygenase pathway
NSAIDs inhibit COX1 preferentially. NSAIDs more selective for COX 2 seem to have more favorable adverse effect profiles (celecoxib).
Where are NSAIDs absorbed?
Stomach and upper small intestine
How does concurrent NSAID use react with methotrexate?
Causes displacement from plasma protein binding sites, competition for renal secretion and impairment of renal function
Rarely clinically significant
Which NSAID is more effective in systemic JIA and spondyloarthropathies?
Indomethicin
Where are NSAIDs mainly metabolized?
Liver
What is a rare side effect of NSAID use in SLE?
Aseptic meningitis
What is a rare side effect of NSAID use in fair-skinned patients?
Pseudoporphyria
What is a rare side effect of aspirin use in children, often noted with use during viral infection (flu or chicken pox)?
Reye syndrome - encephalopathy and liver failure
Where are PO drugs primarily absorbed in the GI tract?
Small intestine
What are indications for hydroxychlorquine?
In general, for rheumatologic diseases with an arthritis or derm component
SLE JDM Systemic Sclerosis APS Cutaneous lupus Lyme disease Urticarial vasculitis MCTD, UCTD JIA?
What are contraindications for hydroxychlorquine?
QT prolongation - may occur in combination with other medications that prolong QT (e.g. azithromycin)
May exacerbate psoriasis and porphyria
Use with caution in patients < 7 yo because hard to get a good eye exam for retinal toxicity
How does hydroxychlorquine work?
Inhibits TLR 7/9
Inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis, NO production, phagocytosis
Antagonizes action of prostaglandins, interferes with IL-1 release by monocytes, interferes with production of TNF-a, IL-6, and IFN-g
Inhibits NK cell activity
Induces apoptosis
Has anti-platelet and anti-hyperlipidemic effects
Where is hydroxychlorquine absorbed and excreted?
Absorbed: intestine
Excreted: Mainly kidney, also liver
Chronic use of hydroxychlorquine > 5 years increases the risk of ___.
Retinal toxicity - demonstrated by drop out of letters from words when reading, photophobia, blurred distance vision, visual field defects, flashing lights
Advanced macular disease is characterized by central patchy area of depigmentation of macula surrounded by concentric ring of pigmentation - “bull’s eye lesion”
Can hydroxychlorquine be used in pregnancy?
Can hydroxychlorquine be used with breastfeeding?
Safe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding
When does risk of retinal toxicity increase in hydroxychlorquine use?
After 5-7 years of use or a cumulative dose of 1000 mg
What are indications for sulfasalazine?
IBD
JIA
Additive for AS (controversial)
What are contraindications for sulfasalazine?
Sulfa allergy In infants Poor renal and liver function G6PD Prophylria Relative contraindication in sJIA (in adults, a/w DIC)
In sulfasalazine use, concurrent use with which medication can increase risk of hepatotoxicity?
Methotrexate
Can sulfasalazine be used in pregnancy?
Can sulfasalazine be used when breastfeeding?
Safe in pregnancy
Sulfasalazine secreted in breast milk, use with caution
What are indications for colchicine?
FMF Recurrent aphthous stomatitis Behcet disease Cutaneous vasculitis Gout
Not helpful in PFAPA
What are contraindications to colchicine?
Severe renal or hepatic disease
How does colchicine work?
Microtubule inhibitor
Works more on granulocytes than lymphocytes
Binding of its 2 rings to cellular microtubules inhibits the movement of intracellular granules and prevents secretion of various components to the cell exterior
What are side effects of colchicine?
GI discomfort, diarrhea - can divide dose BID and reduce lactose intake
Myelosuppresion
Azospermia at high doses
Myopathy - rare
What are some colchicine toxicities?
RARE
Proximal muscle weakness Painful paresthesia Elevated CK Abnormal EMG DIC Multiorgan failure Agranulocytosis
Which medication class can interact with colchicine?
CYP3A4 inhibitors
Is colchicine safe in pregnancy and with breastfeeding?
Safe in pregnancy
Safe with breastfeeding
What dietary item can interact with colchicine?
Grapefruit juice
Which TNFi is not effective in tx of uveitis?
Etanercept
What are common indications for TNFi?
Polyarticular JIA Psoriatic arthritis Ankylosing spondylitis Inflammatory bowel disease TRAPS Behcet Takayasu arteritis
What is the treatment for latent TB infection? How long must one wait before starting a TNFi?
Isoniazid
May start treatment at least 1 month after initiation of isoniazid
What are contraindications to TNFi?
Severe infection
Sepsis
Demyelinating disease - personal or 1st deg FHx - obtain baseline brain MRI in patients who need TNFi but have +FHx
Hepatitis B infection - but can use if patient on antiviral tx for HBV
Heart failure
Do TNFi increase the risk of malignancy?
Risk of malignancy in patients with JIA is ill-defined
Information from manufacturers document 48 cases of malignancy in children on TNFi. Half were lymphoma. Others were leukemia, melanoma, and solid organ cancer. 11 died from T cell lymphoma. 88% of the cases were in patients on other immunosuppression such as AZA, 6-MP, or MTX.
Another study reported that children with JIA have an increased rate of malignancy in general c/w children without JIA. Treatment for JIA including TNFi and/or MTX did not appear to be significantly associated.
Describe Enbrel’s mechanism of action.
Fully human, dimeric fusion protein made up of the extracellular ligand-binding portion of the TNF-receptor linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1.
Can also. bind to TNF-beta, though relevance in JIA is unknown
Describe Humira’s mechanism of action.
Recombinant human IgG1 mAb against TNF
Binds to soluble TNF but also membrane-bound TNF, leading to both antibody-dependent and complement dependent cytotoxicity
Describe Remicade’s mechanism of action.
Chimeric mAb consisting of a mouse Fab’ fragment Ab and the constant region of human IgG1 against TNF
Binds to soluble TNF but also membrane-bound TNF, leading to both antibody-dependent and complement dependent cytotoxicity
Describe Simponi’s mechanism of action.
Recombinant human mAb to TNF
Like Remicade except the heavy and light variable regions are human instead of mouse
Describe certolizumab/Cimzia’s mechanism of action.
Pegylated (e.g. conjugated with polyethylene glycol) humanized Fab’ fragment of a mAb to TNF
Certozilumab is a monovalent Fab Ab fragment (missing Fc portion of Ab)with high affinity for TNF, which distinguishes from other TNFi , which are full-length bivalent IgG mAb
Does not induce complement activation, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, or apoptosis
When do acute infusion reactions occur with Remicade infusions?
Within 24 hours, usually between 10 min and 4 hours
Most Remicade infusion reactions are acute
Decrease risk by using MTX in combination
When do delayed infusion reactions occur with Remicade infusions?
Within 1-14 days after start of treatment, usually between 5-7 days
What cytopenias can occur with TNFi?
Neutropenia, usually mild
Pancytopenia and aplastic anemia are rare