Association of colchicine use for acute gout with clinical outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Gout is a common comorbidity in heart failure (HF) patients and is frequently associated with acute exacerbations during treatment for decompensated HF. Although colchicine is often used to manage acute gout in HF patients, its impact on clinical outcomes when used during acute decompensated HF is unknown. METHODS: This was a single center, retrospective study of hospitalized patients treated for an acute HF exacerbation with and without acute gout flare between March 2011 and December 2020. We assessed clinical outcomes in patients treated with colchicine for a gout flare compared to those who did not experience a gout flare or receive colchicine. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Among 1047 patient encounters for acute HF during the study period, there were 237 encounters (22.7%) where the patient also received colchicine for acute gout during admission. In-hospital all-cause mortality was significantly reduced in the colchicine group compared with the control group (2.1% vs. 6.5%, p = .009). The colchicine group had increased length of stay (9.93 vs. 7.96 days, p < .001) but no significant difference in 30-day readmissions (21.5% vs. 19.5%, p = .495). In a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, inpatient colchicine use was associated with improved survival to discharge (hazards ratio [HR] 0.163, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.051-0.525, p = .002) and a reduced rate of in-hospital CV mortality (HR 0.184, 95% CI 0.044-0.770, p = .021). CONCLUSION: Among patients with a HF exacerbation, treatment with colchicine for a gout flare was associated with significantly lower in-hospital mortality compared with those not treated for acute gout.

Phenelzine and Morphine Drug-Drug Interaction? A Literature Review.

The objectives of this manuscript are to describe a case report of a patient whose phenelzine maintenance therapy was discontinued due to concern for a phenelzine-morphine drug interaction, to review the available literature regarding the potential for this drug-drug interaction, and provide recommendations for this clinical scenario. A PubMed/MEDLINE literature search was conducted and all publications determined to be relevant to this case report were included. Literature describing in vitro data, case reports/human studies, and review articles concerning the interaction between morphine and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were included. A total of 14 publications pertinent to the potential phenelzine-morphine interaction were included in this review including 5 in vitro studies, 4 human studies, and 6 review articles detailing the drug interaction profile between opioids and antidepressants. Of these publications, only a single case report of a potential drug interaction between morphine and phenelzine was identified. The literature suggesting a drug interaction between morphine and phenelzine is limited. The combination of phenelzine and morphine, with close monitoring for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, is reasonable for patients with appropriate indications for both agents.

The University of North Carolina Medical Center pharmacy resident leadership certificate program.

PURPOSE: The development and implementation of a certificate program for pharmacy residents are described. SUMMARY: University of North Carolina (UNC) Medical Center met the call for increased efforts in the area of pharmacy residency leadership training through the design, implementation, and evaluation of a leadership certificate program. The purpose of the UNC certificate program is to develop leaders who will serve others, improve their communities, and advance the profession. The program is designed to (1) foster self-awareness, social awareness, and altruism, (2) provide transferable and individualized leadership experiences, (3) enrich other residency components through integration of leadership development opportunities, and (4) create role models for departmental leadership. A team of preceptors and residents implemented the certificate program by integrating program components into the existing pharmacy residency infrastructure. The certificate program includes required and flexible components to allow residents to set and achieve their determined leadership development goals. Overall, residents are satisfied with the program and perceive it as worthwhile. During the first 3 years since implementation of the certification initiative, program facilitators improved the feasibility of, participant engagement in, and sustainability of the program. Future directions include an effectiveness evaluation and a "scale-up" to other institutions. CONCLUSION: The need for a pharmacy residency leadership certificate was met by designing, implementing, and evaluating such a program at UNC. Through its first 3 years, the program was feasible, sustainable, and valued by program participants.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction After Treatment With Ipilimumab for Metastatic Melanoma.

Ipilimumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab is known to cause immune-mediated adverse reactions because of the resultant increase in T-cell activity. To date, there are no published reports of ipilimumab-related heart failure, although a recently published report describes a case of transient cardiomyopathy associated with its use. We report the case of a 60-year-old man who developed left ventricular dysfunction with an asymptomatic reduction in ejection fraction from 55%-60% at baseline to 40%-45% 4 months after completing a second course of treatment with ipilimumab for metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab was not restarted, and the patient was initiated on lisinopril and carvedilol. Repeat echocardiograms 3 and 5 months later revealed ejection fractions of 40%-45% and 55%-60%, respectively.