Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure &lt; 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt; 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

PHARMACOECONOMIC EVALUATION OF DABIGATRAN VS WARFARIN IN CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS PREVENTION IN PATIENTS WITH NON-VALVULAR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

According to recent guidelines, oral dabigatran etexilate is indicated for stroke and systemic embolism prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Aim. Based on the RE-LY study to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dabigatran etexilate versus warfarin prescribed in “real-world” settings from a Russian payer perspective. Material and methods. Markov model simulated AF patients at moderate to high risk of stroke while tracking clinical events and resulting functional disability. Acute event costs and resulting long-term follow-up costs incurred by disabled stroke survivors were calculated using general tariff agreement of Russian obligatory health insurance system and official national statistics. Clinical events, summarized as events per 100 patient-years, expected life years, total costs, and incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated. Results. Over a lifetime, dabigatran etexilate treated patients experienced fewer intracranial haemorrhages and fewer ischaemic strokes. ICER of dabigatran etexilate was 461,602 roubles per one additional life year versus “real-world” warfarin. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that dabigatran etexilate is a cost-effective alternative to current care for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism among Russian patients with AF .</p

Correction of impairments of visceral blood flow and oxygen-carrying function of the portal blood in diffuse purulent peritonitis

OBJECTIVE. The authors assessed an efficacy of correction of visceral blood flow and oxygen-carrying function of portal blood in patients with diffuse purulent peritonitis. The intraportal infusion therapy was applied using ozone-saturated solutions. MATERIAL AND METHODS. There were investigated the dynamics of index changes in blood flow of the portal vein, common hepatic artery, superior mesenteric artery and main parameters of oxygenation of system and portal blood. RESULTS. There was found that the application of intraportal infusion therapy facilitated to hepatic and mesenteric blood flow, oxygen-carrying function of portal blood and liver oxygenation. The method helped to restore liver function and eliminated enteral disfunction and it decreased severity of patients’ state that allowed doctors to improve treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS. The intraportal infusion therapy using ozone-saturated solutions is an important part of treatment management in severe forms of purulent peritonitis

Modeling the Conductivity and Diffusion Permeability of a Track-Etched Membrane Taking into Account a Loose Layer

The microheterogeneous model makes it possible to describe the main transport properties of ion-exchange membranes using a single set of input parameters. This paper describes an adaptation of the microheterogeneous model for describing the electrical conductivity and diffusion permeability of a track-etched membrane (TEM). Usually, the transport parameters of TEMs are evaluated assuming that ion transfer occurs through the solution filling the membrane pores, which are cylindrical and oriented normally to the membrane surface. The version of the microheterogeneous model developed in this paper takes into account the presence of a loose layer, which forms as an intermediate layer between the pore solution and the membrane bulk material during track etching. It is assumed that this layer can be considered as a &ldquo;gel phase&rdquo; in the framework of the microheterogeneous model due to the fixed hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, which imparts ion exchange properties to the loose layer. The qualitative and quantitative agreement between the calculated and experimental concentration dependencies of the conductivity and diffusion permeability is discussed. The role of the model input parameters is described in relation to the structural features of the membrane. In particular, the inclination of the pores relative to the surface and their narrowing in the middle part of the membrane can be important for their properties