ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and general safety and tolerability of JNJ-42847922, a selective orexin-2 receptor antagonist, were assessed in healthy subjects. METHODS: Five consecutive cohorts of healthy subjects were enrolled and received doses of 5-60 mg orally once daily over 10 days of JNJ-42847922 ( n=6) or placebo ( n=2). Concentrations of drug in plasma and urine were measured over 24 h after dosing on Days 1, 5 and 10. Observed- and self-reported somnolence was used to evaluate the principal pharmacodynamic effect of JNJ-42847922. A test battery to assess vigilance state, sedation and alertness was assessed at 4, 6 and 8 h after dosing. Safety assessments included recording of adverse events, vital signs, electrocardiograms, clinical laboratory assessments and suicidality per Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. RESULTS: JNJ-42847922 was rapidly absorbed after the morning dose administration. The median tmax ranged from 0.5-1.5 h and mean t1/2 values from 2-3 h. At JNJ-42847922 dose levels ⩾20 mg, mean Cmax and mean area under the curve, values increased less than dose proportionally. At doses ⩾20 mg, JNJ-42847922 consistently induced somnolence on all study days. At four hours post-dose administration, dose levels >5 mg JNJ-42847922 were identified as sedating by the Addiction Research Center Inventory-49. Except for a mild decrease in attention (Bond and Lader Visual Analogue Scale Factor 1) at dose levels >10 mg at four hours post-dose, no clinically relevant changes in other central measures have been observed. JNJ-42847922 was well tolerated.
Subject(s)
Orexin Receptor Antagonists/administration & dosage , Orexin Receptors/drug effects , Pyrimidines/administration & dosage , Pyrroles/administration & dosage , Sleepiness , Triazoles/administration & dosage , Administration, Oral , Adolescent , Adult , Area Under Curve , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Double-Blind Method , Female , Half-Life , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Orexin Receptor Antagonists/pharmacokinetics , Orexin Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology , Orexin Receptors/metabolism , Pyrimidines/pharmacokinetics , Pyrimidines/pharmacology , Pyrroles/pharmacokinetics , Pyrroles/pharmacology , Time Factors , Triazoles/pharmacokinetics , Triazoles/pharmacology , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Preoperative epoetin-alpha administration is said to have a limited effect in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), due to lower iron availability. We studied the effects of preoperative epoetin-alpha treatment in orthopedic surgery patients in a daily life setting in which iron supplementation was assured, and compared the effects in RA and non-RA patients. METHODS: In an open, naturalistic, randomized controlled trial, 695 orthopedic surgery patients with preoperative hemoglobin (Hb) values of 10-13 g/dL, either with RA (113) or without RA (582), received either preoperative epoetin-alpha treatment added to standard care, or standard care alone. Hb values and transfusions were evaluated from entry into the study until 4-6 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Both in RA and non-RA patients, perioperative Hb values were significantly higher and transfusion requirements were significantly lower in epoetin-alpha treated patients than in control patients (p < 0.001). In RA patients, the outcomes regarding Hb values were not significantly or relevantly different from non-RA patients. INTERPRETATION: Just as with orthopedic patients in general, RA patients benefit from preoperative epoetin-alpha treatment in combination with iron supplementation. We postulate that iron supplementation during epoetin-alpha therapy in RA patients is important for optimal efficacy.