Brian Calingaert

Study Objectives: Narcolepsy is a chronic condition affecting the sleep/wake cycle that is challenging to diagnose. Epidemiological data from large US-focused studies remain limited, with no validated claims-based case selection definitions for narcolepsy. We estimated the prevalence/incidence of diagnosed narcolepsy (type 1 [NT1], type 2 [NT2], overall) in an insured US population using validated, claims-based narcolepsy case definitions. Materials and Methods: This observational study used HealthVerity administrative claims-linked electronic medical records to develop case definitions identifying individuals with NT1, NT2, and overall narcolepsy from diagnosis, medication, and procedure codes. Claims-based case definition performance (NT1, NT2, overall narcolepsy) was assessed using positive predictive values (PPVs). Prevalence (per 100 000 persons, on December 31, 2023) and annual incidence (per 100 000 person-years [PY], 2020 − 2023) were calculated/adjusted using PPVs for each case definition. Results: Unadjusted point prevalence among individuals with ≥12 months of continuous enrollment were 15.5/100 000 (NT1), 51.1/100 000 (NT2), and 67.0/100 000 (overall narcolepsy). Unadjusted incidence rates were stable from 2020 − 2023 for NT1 (range, 2.0 − 2.3/100 000 PY) but declined across years for NT2 (9.1 − 7.6/100 000 PY) and overall narcolepsy (11.3 − 9.6/100 000 PY). PPVs (95% confidence interval) of NT1, NT2, and overall narcolepsy were 0.81 (0.72 − 0.88), 0.84 (0.75 − 0.91), and 0.80 (0.71 − 0.87), contributing to epidemiologic estimates being reduced by ~20% after PPV adjustment. Prevalence and incidence were higher in females than males. Individuals with NT1 were ~ 4 years younger versus NT2. Conclusions: Validated definitions for narcolepsy can reduce potential misclassification. Our findings highlight a relatively low NT1 prevalence in the US. In contrast, NT2 prevalence estimates were > 3 times higher than NT1.

Purpose: We aimed to describe the distribution of gestational age at birth (GAB) to inform the estimation of GAB when clinical or obstetric estimates are not available for perinatal pharmacoepidemiology studies.Methods: We estimated GAB (median, mode, mean, and standard deviation) and percentage born at each gestational week in groups based on plurality and other variables for live births in CDC's U.S. birth data.Results: In 2020, 3 617 213 newborns had birth certificates with nonmissing GAB. Among singletons (3 501 693), median and mode GAB were both 39 weeks. Births with lower median GAB were from women with eclampsia (37 weeks) or receiving intensive care (37 weeks); newborns receiving intensive care (37 weeks); newborns with birth weight <2500 g (35 weeks), <1500 g (28 weeks), or <1000 g (25 weeks); and newborns not discharged alive (23 weeks). Among twins (112 633), median GAB was 36 weeks (mode, 37 weeks). Additional noteworthy groups were women with 0-6 prenatal visits (median, 34 weeks) or 7-8 prenatal visits (median, 35 weeks) or aged 15-19 years (median, 35 weeks).Conclusions: Some maternal and infant groups had distinct GAB distributions in the United States. This information can be useful in estimating GAB when individual-level clinical estimates are not available, such as in database studies of medication use during pregnancy.

Introduction At the time of dapagliflozin’s approval in Europe (2012) to treat patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, concerns regarding acute liver injury and severe complications of urinary tract infection (sUTI) led to two post-authorization safety (PAS) studies of these outcomes to monitor the safety of dapagliflozin in real-world use. Objective To investigate the incidence of hospitalization for acute liver injury (hALI) or sUTI (pyelonephritis or urosepsis) among patients initiating dapagliflozin compared with other glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs). Methods These two noninterventional cohort studies identified initiators of dapagliflozin and comparator GLDs in November 2012–February 2019 using data from three longitudinal, population-based data sources: Clinical Practice Research Datalink (UK), the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (USA), and the Medicare database (USA). Outcomes (hALI and sUTI) were identified with electronic algorithms. Incidence rates were estimated by exposure group. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated comparing dapagliflozin to comparator GLDs, using propensity score trimming and stratification to address confounding. The sUTI analyses were conducted separately by sex. Results In all data sources, hALI and sUTI incidence rates were generally lower in dapagliflozin initiators than comparator GLD initiators. The adjusted IRR (95% confidence interval) pooled across data sources for hALI was 0.85 (0.59–1.24) and for sUTI was 0.76 (0.60–0.96) in females and 0.74 (0.56–1.00) in males. Findings from sensitivity analyses were largely consistent with the primary analyses. Conclusions These real-world studies do not suggest increased risks of hALI or sUTI, and they suggest a potential decreased risk of sUTI with dapagliflozin exposure compared with other GLDs.

Introduction Dapagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor approved to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), among other conditions. When dapagliflozin was approved in Europe for treating T2DM (2012), potential safety concerns regarding its effect on kidney function resulted in this post-authorization safety study to assess hospitalization for acute kidney injury (hAKI) among dapagliflozin initiators in a real-world setting. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hAKI in adults with T2DM initiating dapagliflozin compared with other glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs). Methods This noninterventional cohort study identified new users of dapagliflozin and comparator GLDs from November 2012 to February 2019 from three longitudinal, population-based data sources: Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD; United Kingdom), the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRD; United States [US]), and Medicare (US). Electronic algorithms identified occurrences of hAKI, from which a sample underwent validation. Incidence rates for hAKI were calculated, and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared hAKI in dapagliflozin with comparator GLDs. Propensity score trimming and stratification were conducted for confounding adjustment. Results In all data sources, dapagliflozin initiators had a lower hAKI incidence rate than comparator GLD initiators (adjusted IRRs: CPRD, 0.44 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22–0.86]; HIRD, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.62–0.93]; Medicare, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.59–0.79]). The adjusted IRR pooled across the data sources was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.62–0.78). Results from sensitivity and stratified analyses were consistent with the primary analysis. Conclusions This study, with > 34,000 person-years of real-world dapagliflozin exposure, suggests a decreased risk of hAKI in patients with T2DM exposed to dapagliflozin, aligning with results from dapagliflozin clinical trials. Study registration European Union Post-Authorisation Studies Register, EUPAS 11684; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02695082.

We aimed to describe the distribution of gestational age at birth (GAB) to inform the estimation of GAB when clinical or obstetric estimates are not available for perinatal epidemiologic research. We estimated GAB (median, mode, mean, standard deviation) and percentage born at each gestational week in groups based on plurality and other variables for live births in CDC’s US birth data. In 2020, 3,617,213 newborns had birth certificates with nonmissing GAB. Among singletons (3,501,693), median and mode GAB were both 39 weeks. Births with lower median GAB were from women with eclampsia (37 weeks) or receiving intensive care (37 weeks); newborns receiving intensive care (37 weeks); infants with birth weight < 2,500 grams (35 weeks), < 1,500 grams (28 weeks), or < 1,000 grams (25 weeks); and newborns not discharged alive (23 weeks). Among twins (112,633), median GAB was 36 weeks (mode, 37 weeks). Additional noteworthy groups were women with 7-8 (median, 35 weeks) or 0-6 prenatal visits (median, 34 weeks) or aged 15-19 years (median, 35 weeks). Some maternal and infant groups had distinct GAB distributions in the US. This information can be useful in estimating GAB when individual-level clinical estimates are not available.

Purpose: Compare the risk of melanoma between initiators of rasagiline or other antiparkinsonian drugs (APDs) in a Parkinson's disease (PD) population.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the US Medicare claims research database (2006–2015) in adults aged ≥65 years with PD claims. Other APD initiators were randomly matched (4:1) to rasagiline initiators on age, sex, and cohort entry year. Cutaneous melanoma events were identified by a validated claims algorithm. Incidence rates (IRs), incidence rate ratios (IRRs), and Cox‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for melanoma comparing rasagiline with other APD initiators were calculated and analyzed by duration of study medication use and cumulative dose of rasagiline. Potential indicators of surveillance bias were explored.Results: Among 23 708 rasagiline initiators and 96 552 matched APD initiators, the crude IR of melanoma/100 000 person‐years was 334.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 291.5–381.6) and 208.2 (95% CI, 190.1–227.5), respectively (crude IRR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.36–1.89). The adjusted HR was 1.37 (95% CI, 1.14–1.65) and increased with longer rasagiline exposure and higher cumulative rasagiline doses. Rasagiline initiators more frequently had dermatologist visits or skin biopsies before cohort entry than APD initiators and had a higher incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer during follow‐up (crude IRR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.35–1.54).Conclusions: A small increased incidence of melanoma with exposure to rasagiline compared with other APDs was observed. Although the pattern with dose and duration is consistent with a hypothesized biologic effect, the increased skin cancer surveillance among rasagiline users suggests surveillance bias as a contributing explanation for the observed results.

Purpose: Evidence is insufficient to infer whether topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs; tacrolimus and pimecrolimus) cause malignancy. The study objective was to estimate the long-term risk of skin cancer and lymphoma associated with topical TCI use in adults and children, separately. Patients and Methods: A cohort study in Denmark, Sweden, UK, and the Netherlands was conducted. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), melanoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) excluding CTCL, and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in new users of TCIs versus users of moderate/high-potency topical corticosteroids. Results: The study included 126,908/61,841 adults and 32,605/27,961 children initiating treatment with tacrolimus/pimecrolimus, respectively. Follow-up was ≥ 10 years for 19% of adults and 32% of children. Incidence rate ratios and (95% confidence intervals) for tacrolimus versus corticosteroid users in adults were < 1 for melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma; and 1.80 (1.25– 2.58) for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. For pimecrolimus, IRRs in adults were < 1 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma; and 1.21 (1.03– 1.41) for melanoma; and 1.28 (1.20– 1.35) for nonmelanoma skin cancer. In children, results were inconclusive due to few events. In adults, incidence rate ratios ≥ 5 years after first topical calcineurin inhibitor exposure were not higher than in overall analyses. Conclusion: Overall, we found little evidence associating use of topical calcineurin inhibitors with skin cancer and lymphoma; confounding by indication, surveillance bias, and reverse causation may have influenced these results. Even if causal, the public health impact of these excess risks would be low and confined to the first years of exposure.

At the request of the European Medicines Agency, a Prescriber Guide and Patient Alert Card were developed to increase awareness and understanding about the initiation of rivaroxaban and potential b...

Background: There is a concern that topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, indicated for second-line treatment of atopic dermatitis, may increase the risk of lymphoma and skin cancer, particularly in children. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare incidence rates (IRs) of lymphoma and skin cancer between new users of topical tacrolimus or pimecrolimus and users of moderate- to high-potency topical corticosteroids (TCSs) and untreated subjects. Methods: This is a multicenter cohort study with frequency matching by strata of propensity scores in population databases in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and the UK. IR ratios (IRRs) were estimated using Mantel–Haenszel methods for stratified analysis. Results: We included 19,948 children and 66,127 adults initiating tacrolimus, 23,840 children and 37,417 adults initiating pimecrolimus, 584,121 users of TCSs, and 257,074 untreated subjects. IRs of lymphoma per 100,000 person-years were 10.4 events in children and 41.0 events in adults using tacrolimus and 3.0 events in children and 27.0 events in adults using pimecrolimus. The IRR (95% confidence interval [CI]) for lymphoma, tacrolimus versus TCSs, was 3.74 (1.00–14.06) in children and 1.27 (0.94–1.71) in adults. By lymphoma type, the highest IRR was 3.17 (0.58–17.23) for Hodgkin lymphoma in children and 1.76 (95% CI, 0.81–3.79) for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in adults. For pimecrolimus versus TCSs, the highest IRR was 1.31 (95% CI, 0.33–5.14) for CTCL in adults. Compared with untreated subjects, adults using TCSs had a higher incidence of CTCL (IRR, 10.66; 95% CI, 2.60–43.75). Smaller associations were found between tacrolimus and pimecrolimus use and the risk of malignant melanoma or nonmelanoma skin cancer. Conclusion: Use of topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus was associated with an increased risk of lymphoma. The low IRs imply that even if the increased risk is causal, it represents a small excess risk for individual patients. Residual confounding by severity of atopic dermatitis, increased monitoring of severe patients, and reverse causation could have affected the results.