Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors may be associated with multiple immune-related toxicities. Cardiovascular adverse effects are underreported in clinical trials.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate cardiovascular adverse effects incidence among patients with solid tumors receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors in randomized clinical trials and the relative risk of presenting these effects compared to placebo or best supportive care. The search was conducted through MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases from January 1st, 2010 until July 1st, 2020. Outcomes were reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Results: 57 randomized clinical trials including 12,118 patients were included. All grade CV AEs incidence rate was 8.32% (95% CI = 6.35%-10.53%). When only grade 3-5 CV AEs were considered, ICIs were significantly associated with increased risk than placebo or BSC (RR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.06-1.73; p = 0.01).
Conclusion: This meta-analysis corroborates the hypothesis of increased CV risk related to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Keywords: Adverse effects, BSC; Best supportive care, CTCAE; Cardiovascular toxicity; Cardiovascular, FAERS; Checkpoint blockade; Common toxicity criteria, CTLA-4; Cytotoxic t-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4, CV; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Immune checkpoint inhibitors, PRISMA; Meta-analysis, abbreviations, AES; Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, RCTs; U.S. food and drug administration adverse events reporting system, ICIS; programmed cell death ligand 1, RR; programmed cell death protein 1, PD-L1; randomized clinical trials, PD-1; relative risk.
Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.