Nivolumab-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus as an immune-related adverse event

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 236-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mesut Yilmaz

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors are medications that activate anti-tumor responses by disrupting the inhibitory signaling to T cells. Nivolumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that selectively blocks the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). Anti-PD-1 agents can breach immunologic tolerance. Fulminant diabetes is an immune endocrinopathy that results from a violent immune attack leading to complete destruction of pancreatic beta cells. We present a rare case of fulminant diabetes precipitated by anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Case A 49-year-old male with a body mass index of 26.4 kg/m2, a history of Dandy–Walker syndrome and epilepsy, and no personal or family history of diabetes underwent left radical nephrectomy and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for stage IV metastatic renal cell carcinoma (metastases to lungs). He received first-line sunitinib treatment for three months. He developed new hepatic metastasis, and a second-line treatment with nivolumab 3 mg/kg every two weeks was introduced. At 10 months of nivolumab, before the 22nd infusion, the patient suddenly complained of severe asthenia, somnolence, weight loss, polydipsia, and polyuria. Laboratory tests revealed potassium 4.2 mmol/L, sodium 138 mmol/L, bicarbonate 17.8 mmol/L, blood glucose 801 mg/dL, and arterial blood pH 7.27. He was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis. Hemoglobin A1C was 10.9%. C-peptide was so low as 0.24. Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies, insulin autoantibodies and islet cell antibodies were all negative. Conclusion Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is effective in the treatment of cancers. These agents can precipitate autoimmune disorders. As the use of anti-PD-1 agents is expected to rise, physicians should be educated about the potential side effects.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nora Chokr ◽  
Hafsa Farooq ◽  
Elizabeth Guadalupe

Background. Anti-PD-1 agents were approved for advanced melanoma after the landmark trial Checkmate-037. Anti-PD-1 agents can breach immunologic tolerance. Fulminant diabetes is an immune endocrinopathy that results from a violent immune attack leading to complete destruction of pancreatic beta cells in genetically predisposed people. We present a rare case of fulminant diabetes precipitated by anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.Case. A 61-year-old male with advanced melanoma presented with a three-day history of nausea, vomiting, and malaise. He was started on nivolumab and ipilimumab. After the third dose, he developed a generalized rash and was prescribed high-dose prednisone. Labs revealed potassium 9.5 mmol/L, sodium 127 mmol/L, bicarbonate <10 mmol/L, blood glucose 1211 mg/dL, anion gap >31 mmol, arterial blood pH 7.14, and beta-hydroxybutyrate 13.7 mmol/L. He was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis. Hemoglobin A1C was 6.9%. C-peptide was undetectable (<0.1 ng/ml). Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies, zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies, insulin autoantibodies, islet antigen 2 autoantibodies, and islet cell antibodies were all negative.Conclusion. Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is effective in cancers refractory to standard chemotherapy. These agents can precipitate autoimmune disorders. As the use of anti-PD-1 agents is expected to rise, physicians should be educated about the potential side effects. We recommend conducting routine blood glucose checks in patients on these agents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Joseph ◽  
Madhura Borikar ◽  
Deborah I Bursey

Abstract BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors are increasingly being used for a variety of cancers and are a promising treatment option. Immune related adverse effects are their major side effects, most common being hypophysitis and hypothyroidism. While diabetes and adrenalitis have only been rarely reported, these too are becoming more common. We present a case of type 1 diabetes associated with Nivolumab therapy diagnosed in an 83-year-old man. CASE An 83 year old male with past medical history of emphysema, coronary artery disease, hypertension, non-small cell lung cancer treated with lobectomy, hepatitis C cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma with metastasis to lungs, who completed 10 cycles of Nivolumab presented to oncology clinic with complains of polyuria, polydipsia and a weight loss of 10 pounds over the last one week. Lab work showed a blood glucose of 743 with an anion gap of 18 and bicarb of 18. B-hydroxy butyrate was 3.19. He was admitted to our ICU for diabetic ketoacidosis. He did not have a history of diabetes mellitus. No family history of diabetes was reported. His Hemoglobin A1c was found to be 10.1. He had normal blood sugars before starting Nivolumab therapy. His C-peptide was found to be low at 0.61. Insulin antibody, Islet cell antibody, Zinc transporter antibody and GAD antibodies were negative. He was discharged on basal bolus Insulin regimen. He is being followed in our endocrinology clinic and continues to be insulin dependent. CONCLUSION Nivolumab is PD-1 (programmed cell death) inhibitor, which is used as cancer immunotherapy in multiple advanced cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinically significant endocrinopathies are documented in &lt;5% of patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors. The cause of Diabetes by PD-1 inhibitors is not well defined but believed to be caused by destruction of pancreatic beta cells due to inhibition of autoimmunity by autoreactive T cells. Literature review showed only 42 published cases of PD-1 inhibitor induced type 1 diabetes. Average age at presentation was 62 years and about 69% patients were in DKA at diagnosis. In a recently published study involving 1163 patients who received PD-1 inhibitors, only 21 cases of diabetes were identified, 12 of those were with new onset DM and only 1 case was due to Nivolumab use. Since this type of endocrinopathy is mainly reported in case reports, we will need more research for further understanding of the pathology so that we can keep a watch out for this adverse effect and prevent life- threatening complications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A359-A359
Author(s):  
Sirisha Reddy Thambuluru

Abstract Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are monoclonal antibodies that block checkpoints such as CTLA-4, PD-1, PDL-1 resulting in an antitumor immune response. ICIs can cause immune-related adverse events such as autoimmune diabetes. Clinical Case: 64 yr old male with history of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing therapy with carboplatin, taxol, and pembrolizumab (monoclonal PD-1 receptor inhibitor) presented to the ED with weakness and dizziness. Patient reported a 1 week history of polyuria, fatigue, polydipsia, and weakness. He started his cancer treatment 2 months prior to presentation and received a total of 3 cycles with the last cycle being 3 weeks prior to presentation. Patient had no personal or family history of diabetes. On presentation to the ED vitals were: HR 130, RR 40, BP 166/100. Labs were significant for Na 122(135–145 mmol/L), bicarb 5(22–30 mmol/L), creatinine 1.76(0.70–1.30 mg/dl), glucose 1,147(70–179 mg/dl), beta hydroxybutyrate 10(0.02–0.27 mmol/L), anion gap 38(7–15 mmol/L), hemoglobin A1c 7.8%(4.8–5.6%), islet cell ab 0 (&lt;=0.02 nmol/L), GAD65 Ab 0.36 (&lt;=0.02 nmol/L). CT abdomen showed no pancreatic abnormalities. Patient was diagnosed with DKA from autoimmune diabetes induced by pembrolizumab. He was given fluids, started on an insulin drip and admitted to the ICU. He was transitioned off the insulin drip onto basal/basal insulin on discharge. One month post discharge the patient continues to require insulin. Learning points: Although the incidence of autoimmune diabetes mellitus associated with ICIs is only 0.2–0.9%, most of these patients present with severe DKA making this a dangerous adverse event that clinicians should be aware of1. The patient in this case had symptoms of new onset severe fatigue, polyuria, polydipsia 1 week prior to his presentation to the ED. This case teaches us that patients undergoing therapy with ICIs should be educated about the signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia and DKA, with directions to inform a health care provider should they occur. Potential interventions that will allow us to identify these patients prior to presentation with dangerous DKA include patient self-monitoring of symptoms and blood glucose checks with a glucometer. Reference: Akturk, H. K., Kahramangil, D., Sarwal, A., Hoffecker, L., Murad, M. H., & Michels, A. W. (2019). Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced Type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetic medicine: a journal of the British Diabetic Association, 36(9), 1075–1081. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.14050


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. e236357
Author(s):  
Mary Sessums ◽  
Siva Yarrarapu ◽  
Pramod K Guru ◽  
Devang K Sanghavi

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionised cancer therapy in the past decade. Although they have been indicated to treat a diverse range of malignant neoplasms, they are also associated with various immune-related adverse effects. We report the case of a 74-year-old man with a history of urothelial carcinoma who had atezolizumab-induced myocarditis and myositis resulting in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure, despite the discontinuation of atezolizumab and aggressive treatment with corticosteroids. This case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for early diagnosis and treatment of immune-related adverse events. Physicians must be aware of the risks associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and have a basic knowledge regarding their management.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tushar Tarun ◽  
Brian P Bostick ◽  
Deepa Baswaraj ◽  
Nishchayjit Basra ◽  
Meeshal Khan ◽  
...  

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a promising, novel therapy for multiple malignancies. Immune-related adverse reactions pose a serious concern with use of these agents and reportedly involve multiple organ systems, notably cardiotoxicity. Early identification and management of these adverse events is essential in the prevention of morbidity and mortality. Hypothesis: Immune checkpoint inhibitors cause multiple cardiotoxic effects, and patients with prior cardiac history have a higher likelihood of cardiotoxicity. Methods: 1. A retrospective analysis of 150 patients was performed who had received immunotherapy with either the cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 inhibitors (CTLA4) or with the programmed cell death inhibitors (PD1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors for a period of two years at a Tertiary health Care from 7/1/2016-6/30/2018. 2. Patients' cardiac diagnoses prior to the initiation of therapy were noted and included, including history of heart failure, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and sudden cardiac arrest. 3. Patients’ clinic visits and hospitalizations with admitting and discharge diagnosis, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, troponin T, and NT-proBNP were reviewed. Results: 6% of patients had new onset heart failure (both preserved and reduced), 1.3% had evidence of myocardial infarction, 2% had new atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate, and 0.6% had fulminant myocarditis. Of patients with new cardiac events, 60% had a history of cardiac disease, which was significantly higher than in patients without (p< 0.05). There were no age or sex differences between the groups with and without cardiotoxicity. Conclusion: Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors have broadened the horizon for treatment of multiple solid and hematological malignancies. Nonetheless, new adverse effects on multiple organ systems, specifically cardiac involvement, occur with these therapies, which are important and potentially detrimental toxicities. Patients with a history of prior cardiovascular disease have higher likelihood to develop cardiotoxicity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1200-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosuke Ando ◽  
Takahiro Hayashi ◽  
Reiko Sugimoto ◽  
Seira Nishibe ◽  
Kaori Ito ◽  
...  

SummaryPurpose Anticancer agents are known to increase cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) onset. CAT onset rate is reported to be 1.92% in cisplatin-based therapy, 6.1% in paclitaxel plus ramucirumab combination therapy, and 11.9% in bevacizumab monotherapy. Because immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) cause a sudden increase in T cell number, an association between administration of these drugs and increase in CAT incidence is likely. However, the extent to which ICI administration affects CAT incidence remains unclear. Further, risk factors for CAT incidence have not yet been identified. The present study investigated CAT incidence and associated risk factors in patients receiving ICI. Methods Patients administered nivolumab or pembrolizumab at Fujita Health University Hospital from April 2017 to March 2018 were enrolled. We collected retrospective data regarding age, sex, cancer type, BMI, medical history, laboratory data at treatment initiation, medications, and computed tomography (CT) interpretations from electronic medical records. Results We identified 122 eligible participants from 135 patients receiving nivolumab or pembrolizumab. Ten patients (8.2%) developed CAT. A history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or arterial thromboembolism (ATE) was a risk factor for CAT incidence (odds ratio: 6.36, P = 0.039). A history of heart disease may be a risk factor for CAT incidence (odds ratio 6.56, P = 0.052). Significantly higher usage of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy was noted in patients who developed CAT (60%) than in those who did not (13.4%, p < 0.01). Conclusion High (8.2%) CAT incidence during ICI administration suggested that ICI is not associated with a lower blood clot risk than other anticancer agents investigated in previous studies. For patients with VTE, ATE, or heart disease history, it is crucial to consider the possibility of CAT even with antiplatelet therapy.


2020 ◽  
pp. 107815522097026
Author(s):  
Jeff Kamta ◽  
Bren Magruder ◽  
Lisa Hymel

Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are novel oncolytic therapies associated with various immune related adverse events (irAEs) affecting multiple organ systems, which may have a delayed presentation. Identification of irAEs and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment represents a challenge to clinicians. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacy consult service in identification and management of irAEs. Methodology: This was a single center, retrospective study. Patients included were: ≥18 years old, admitted as inpatients, and reported a history of cancer treatment within the last year. A pharmacy consult was developed and implemented for patients who reported a history of ICI therapy within the last year. Education regarding the consult service was provided to select physicians, nurses, and all pharmacists. Primary outcome: percent of admitted patients reporting ICI therapy within the last year, who required pharmacist intervention for an irAE. Secondary outcomes: types of interventions performed, percentage of recommendation acceptance, pharmacist time spent. Results Fifty-one patients received a pharmacy immunotherapy consult. Seventeen patients (33%) met the primary outcome. Thirty-three separate recommendations were made by pharmacists for these 17 patients. The secondary outcomes of interventions made and percentage accepted (n; % accepted): Initiation/adjustment of steroid therapy (20; 40%), placement of a consult for oncology or other specialist (10; 70%), other therapeutic interventions (3; 67%). Average time spent by pharmacist on initial consultations (SD): 29 minutes (15). Conclusion A pharmacy consult service may help to increase identification of patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors and initiate timely interventions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 181 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen M K de Filette ◽  
Joeri J Pen ◽  
Lore Decoster ◽  
Thomas Vissers ◽  
Bert Bravenboer ◽  
...  

Objective To better define the rare adverse event (AE) of diabetes mellitus associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Design and methods We report the case of a lung cancer patient with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and autoimmune thyroiditis during pembrolizumab treatment. We provide a systematic review of all published cases (PubMed/Web of Science/Cochrane, through November 2018) of autoimmune diabetes mellitus related to blockade of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4)-, programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor or its ligand (PD-L1) or combination (ICI) therapy. Results Our literature search identified 90 patient cases (our case excluded). Most patients were treated with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 as monotherapy (79%) or in combination with CTLA-4 blockade (15%). On average, diabetes mellitus was diagnosed after 4.5 cycles; earlier for combination ICI at 2.7 cycles. Early-onset diabetes mellitus (after one or two cycles) was observed during all treatment regimens. Diabetic ketoacidosis was present in 71%, while elevated lipase levels were detected in 52% (13/25). Islet autoantibodies were positive in 53% of patients with a predominance of glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies. Susceptible HLA genotypes were present in 65% (mostly DR4). Thyroid dysfunction was the most frequent other endocrine AE at 24% incidence in this patient population. Conclusion ICI-related diabetes mellitus is a rare but often life-threatening metabolic urgency of which health-care professionals and patients should be aware. Close monitoring of blood glucose and prompt endocrine investigation in case of hyperglycemia is advisable. Predisposing factors such as HLA genotype might explain why some individuals are at risk.


Author(s):  
Shipra Gulati ◽  
Tanvi Batra ◽  
Akshay A. Dhamne ◽  
Vijayashree S. Gokhale

A 24 years old female, was admitted with symptoms of urinary tract infection. She was married and had bad obstetric history. She was known diabetic for 16 years of age and was on regular treatment with injection human insulin mixtard since the time of diagnosis, but had no episode of diabetic ketosis/ ketoacidosis. She had a positive family history of diabetes. She was further evaluated and was found to have normal C peptide levels and islet cell antibodies were found to be negative. Hence, the possibility of MODY (monogenic diabetes) was considered. Her genetic testing could not be done due to financial constraints. But a trial of sulfonylureas was given along with reduction in the dose of insulin to which she responded well and is presently well controlled.


Author(s):  
Nabil Omar

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) &ndash; anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) and their ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2) have become widely used in the treatment of several malignancies. Many immune-related adverse events have been linked to these agents. However, tuberculosis (TB) reactivation during their use is increasingly reported. Herein, we present a 58-year-old lady with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ALK-negative, EGFR wild, and PD-L1 Immune histochemistry (IHC) strongly positive in 95% of tumor cells. The patient presented with high-grade fever and a history of productive cough for a 1-week duration. A few days later, she was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis following the 6th cycle of Pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. AFB smear and TB PCR from BAL were positive (rifampin resistance not detected), and she was accordingly started on Anti-TB medications. Immunotherapy was held. Of note, the patient had a history of sick contact with a patient with active TB infection ten years ago, but there was no documentation of latent TB or previous TB infection. Her HIV status is negative. Her sputum AFB smear continued to be positive after four weeks of anti-TB medications. Later, the patient was discharged after her sputum was cleared from AFB (negative x 2 sets). We assumed that our patient developed reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis secondary to an immune checkpoint inhibitor (Pembrolizumab). She was not re-challenged with Pembrolizumab following TB diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case from the Arab and the Middle East; it reinforces the previous observations of the association between ICIs administration and the development of MTB. Nevertheless, further studies in the clinical setting are necessary to establish the exact mechanism involved in this association. Oncologists' awareness &amp; prompt recognition of this potential hazardous consequence are essential. Since there is no clear evidence whether LTBT prior PD-1/PD targeted immunotherapy is required, targeted LTBT before starting ICIs immunotherapy with TB chemoprophylaxis; yet to be explored, particularly in the regions where the MTB prevalence is high.


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