Interference of Asfotase Alfa in Immunoassays Employing Alkaline Phosphatase Technology.

Background: Asfotase alfa (STRENSIQ®, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is the only approved treatment for patients with pediatric-onset hypophosphatasia, a disease caused by a mutation in the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) gene. ALP is often used as signaling system in routine immunoassays.

Beware of bone pain with bisphosphonates.

A 71-year-old woman who had been taking ibandronate for 10 years presented to an Endocrinology Department with persistent mid-thigh pain. Pelvic X-ray showed bilateral femoral cortical expansion, indicating impending atypical femoral fractures (AFFs). AFFs have been linked to long-term bisphosphonate therapy and have morbidity and mortality similar to that of hip fractures.

The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation of Treating Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis with the Addition of Co-trimoxazole (EME-TIPAC): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: We hypothesise, based upon the findings from our previous trial, that the addition of co-trimoxazole to standard therapy is beneficial to patients with moderate to severe idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We aim to investigate this by assessing unplanned hospitalisation-free survival (defined as time from randomisation to first non-elective hospitalisation, lung transplant or death) and to determine whether any effect relates to changes in infection and/or markers of disease control and neutrophil activity.

Methods/design: The EME-TIPAC trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, multicentre clinical trial.