Differential Cardiotoxicity of Ibrutinib Versus Chemoimmunotherapy in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Population-Based Study



Majrashi, Abdulrahman, Gue, Ying X ORCID: 0000-0001-9994-8915, Shantsila, Alena ORCID: 0000-0002-0594-8576, Williams, Stella, Lip, Gregory YH ORCID: 0000-0002-7566-1626 and Pettitt, Andrew R ORCID: 0000-0002-0907-8950
(2024) Differential Cardiotoxicity of Ibrutinib Versus Chemoimmunotherapy in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Population-Based Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13 (23). 7492-. ISSN 2077-0383, 2077-0383

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Abstract

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common form of leukaemia among adults, particularly in Western nations. The introduction of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors as a treatment of CLL, namely, ibrutinib, which is a first-generation BTK inhibitor, has significantly improved the treatment landscape for CLL. However, ibrutinib has been associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and hypertension. Real-world studies that compare the cardiovascular safety of ibrutinib with bendamustine plus anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody are not widely available. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis using the TriNetX platform identified two patient groups: one treated with ibrutinib and the other with bendamustine and an anti-CD20 antibody. Propensity score matching balanced their demographic and clinical characteristics. The outcomes evaluated included the all-cause mortality and new-onset AF/flutter, hypertension, heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, and bleeding. Results: No significant difference was observed in the all-cause mortality between the two cohorts. However, ibrutinib was associated with a higher risk of AF/flutter (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.36–2.62; p < 0.05) and hypertension (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01–1.47; p = 0.04). Other outcomes, such as heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, and bleeding, were not different between the cohorts. Conclusions: Ibrutinib remains a valuable option for the treatment of CLL, but is associated with significant cardiovascular risks, leading to it being superseded by the newer generation of BTKis, which offer less cardiovascular toxicities. These results highlight the TriNetX platform’s reliability as a real-world data source for validating clinical trial findings and highlight the importance of incorporating cardio-oncology into treatment plans for CLL patients with significant comorbidities.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular toxicities, chemoimmunotherapy, hypertension, ibrutinib
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Life Courses and Medical Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 19 Dec 2024 11:40
Last Modified: 02 Jan 2025 08:19
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13237492
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13237492
Related Websites:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3189333