Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in clinical trials of a drug cannot be compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The adverse reaction information from clinical trials does, however, provide a basis for identifying the adverse events that appear to be related to drug use and for approximating rates.

EXTRANEAL was originally studied in controlled clinical trials of 493 patients with end-stage renal disease who received a single daily exchange of EXTRANEAL for the long dwell (8-to 16- hours). There were 215 patients exposed for at least 6 months and 155 patients exposed for at least one year. The population was 18-83 years of age, 56% male and 44% female, 73% Caucasian, 18% Black, 4% Asian, 3% Hispanic, and it included patients with the following comorbid conditions: 27% diabetes, 49% hypertension and 23% hypertensive nephropathy.

Rash was the most frequently occurring EXTRANEAL-related adverse event (5.5%, EXTRANEAL; 1.7% Control). Seven patients on EXTRANEAL discontinued treatment due to rash, and one patient on EXTRANEAL discontinued due to exfoliative dermatitis. The rash typically appeared within the first three weeks of treatment and resolved with treatment discontinuation or, in some patients, with continued treatment.

Female patients reported a higher incidence of skin events, including rash, in both EXTRANEAL and dextrose control treatment groups.

Table 1 shows the adverse events reported in these clinical studies, regardless of causality, occurring in ≥ 5% of patients and more common on EXTRANEAL than control.

Table 1 – Adverse Experiences in ≥ 5% of Patients and More Common on EXTRANEAL

Adverse reactions reported with an incidence of > 5% and at least as common on dextrose control included pain, asthenia, exit site infection, infection, back pain, hypotension, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea/vomiting, anemia, peripheral edema, hypokalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypoproteinemia, hypervolemia, arthralgia, dizziness, dyspnea, skin disorder, pruritis.

Additional adverse events occurring at an incidence of < 5% and that may or may not have been related to EXTRANEAL include: pain on infusion, abdominal enlargement, cloudy effluent, ultrafiltration decrease, postural hypotension, heart failure, hyponatremia, hypochloremia, hypercalcemia, hypoglycemia, alkaline phosphatase increase, SGPT increase, SGOT increase, cramping, confusion, lung edema, facial edema, exfoliative dermatitis, eczema, vesicobullous rash, maculopapular rash, erythema multiforme. All reported events are included in the list except those already listed in Table 1 or the following two paragraphs, those not plausibly associated with EXTRANEAL, and those that were associated with the condition being treated or related to the dialysis procedure.

EXTRANEAL was additionally studied in a subpopulation of 92 high average/high transporter APD patients in a two-week controlled clinical trial where patients received a single daily exchange of EXTRANEAL (n=47) or dextrose control (n=45) for the long dwell (14 ± 2 hours). Consistent with the data reported in the original trials of EXTRANEAL, rash was the most frequently occurring event.

Peritoneal Dialysis-Related

Adverse events common to the peritoneal dialysis, including peritonitis, infection around the catheter, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, and pain, were observed at a similar frequency with EXTRANEAL and Controls (See PRECAUTIONS).

Changes in Alkaline Phosphatase and Serum Electrolytes

An increase in mean serum alkaline phosphatase has been observed in clinical studies of ESRD patients receiving EXTRANEAL. No associated increases in other liver chemistry tests were observed. Serum alkaline phosphatase levels did not show progressive increase over a 12-month study period. Levels returned to normal approximately two weeks after discontinuation of EXTRANEAL.

Decreases in serum sodium and chloride have been observed in patients using EXTRANEAL. The declines in serum sodium and chloride may be related to dilution resulting from the presence of icodextrin metabolites in plasma. Although these decreases have been small and clinically unimportant, monitoring of patients' serum electrolyte levels as part of routine blood chemistry testing is recommended.

Drug Abuse And Dependence

There has been no observed potential of drug abuse or dependence with EXTRANEAL.

General

No clinical drug interaction studies were performed. No evaluation of EXTRANEAL's effects on the cytochrome P450 system was conducted. As with other dialysis solutions, blood concentrations of dialyzable drugs may be reduced by dialysis. Dosage adjustment of concomitant medications may be necessary. In patients using cardiac glycosides (digoxin and others), plasma levels of calcium, potassium and magnesium must be carefully monitored.

Insulin

A clinical study in 6 insulin-dependent diabetic patients demonstrated no effect of EXTRANEAL on insulin absorption from the peritoneal cavity or on insulin's ability to control blood glucose when insulin was administered intraperitoneally with EXTRANEAL. However, appropriate monitoring (See PRECAUTIONS, Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions) of blood glucose should be performed when initiating EXTRANEAL in diabetic patients and insulin dosage should be adjusted if needed (See PRECAUTIONS).

Heparin

No human drug interaction studies with heparin were conducted. In vitro studies demonstrated no evidence of incompatibility of heparin with EXTRANEAL.

Antibiotics

No human drug interaction studies with antibiotics were conducted. In vitro studies evaluating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin, cefazolin, ampicillin, ampicillin/flucoxacillin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, and amphotericin demonstrated no evidence of incompatibility of these antibiotics with EXTRANEAL. (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION)

Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions

Blood Glucose

Blood glucose measurement must be done with a glucose-specific method to prevent maltose interference with test results. Since falsely elevated glucose levels have been observed with blood glucose monitoring devices and test strips that use glucose dehydrogenase pyrroloquinolinequinone (GDH PQQ) or glucose-dye-oxidoreductase based methods, GDH PQQ or glucose-dye-oxidoreductase based methods should not be used to measure glucose levels in patients administered EXTRANEAL. (See WARNINGS).

Serum Amylase

An apparent decrease in serum amylase activity has been observed in patients administered EXTRANEAL. Preliminary investigations indicate that icodextrin and its metabolites interfere with enzymatic-based amylase assays, resulting in inaccurately low values. This should be taken into account when evaluating serum amylase levels for diagnosis or monitoring of pancreatitis in patients using EXTRANEAL.

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