New Medical Journal Article Provides More Information About Emerging Drug Safety Issue Involving Avandia / Actos Side Effect Affecting Sight And Vision
(Posted by Tom Lamb at DrugInjuryWatch.com)
According to a recent medical journal article, "Association between thiazolidinedione treatment and risk of macular edema among patients with type 2 diabetes", published online in June 2012 by the Archives of Internal Medicine, the diabetes drugs Actos (pioglitazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone) may be responsible for an increased rate of diabetic macular edema (DME) eye disease in type 2 diabetes patients.
From that 2012 medical journal article about Avandia and Actos being associated with diabetic macular edema (DME) eye disease:
In conclusion, this large-population study has shown that, even after adjustment for a range of confounding variables, thiazolidinediones [(TZD) diabetes drugs, such as Actos and Avandia] are associated with an increased risk of DME in patients with type 2 diabetes, especially those undergoing insulin therapy. The risk increased continuously over the 10-year duration of this study. The explanation for this association is unclear, but plausible mechanisms described previously exist by which these drugs might adversely influence this important ocular complication of type 2 diabetes...
From a June 11, 2012 news report about this medical journal article, "Avandia, Actos May Raise Risk of Macular Edema", found on the MedPage Today site:
Incidence of diabetic macular edema was 1.3% at 1 year on [Actos or Avandia] compared with just 0.2% among type 2 diabetes patients not on one of those agents, Iskandar Idris, MD, of Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust in Nottingham, England, and colleagues found.
The risk remained 2.3 times higher out to 10 years of follow-up after adjustment for use of other diabetes and cardiovascular drugs, glucose control, and other factors....
The odds ratios were similar at 3.6 for [Actos (pioglitazone)] and 3.1 for [Avanida (rosiglitazone)] at 1 year of follow-up.
The combination of insulin and a thiazolidinedione [i.e., Actos or Avandia] boosted that adjusted risk to 4.4-fold, whereas concurrent use of aspirin or an ACE inhibitor significantly reduced the risk.
As seen by the two articles below, we have been reporting on this still emerging drug safety issue for the past few years:
Actos And Avandia Use Associated With Diabetic Macular Edema, Which Can Lead To Blindness -- New UK Study Found Three To Six Times Increased Risk Of Developing This Retinal Eye Disease Side Effect (June 2011)
New Studies About Avandia And Actos Side Effects Other Than Cardiovascular Conditions -- Glitazone Class Of Diabetes Drugs Can Increase The Risk Of Bone Fractures And Diabetic Macular Edema (April 2009)
Of course, we will continue to monitor this Avandia / Actos - diabetic macular edema (DME) eye disease situation and report further developments here.
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