Neurotoxicity associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy: a real-world study leveraging the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System.

Abstract

Background: CAR-T-associated neurotoxicity is extremely frequent with highly variable clinical presentation.

Research design and methods: Disproportionality analysis was conducted leveraging the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), covering the period from 1 January 2017, through 31 March 2023. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) and the information component (IC) were utilized to assess the adverse signals in total/individual CAR-T product. The lower limit of the ROR and IC 95% confidence interval (ROR₀₂₅ and IC₀₂₅) both exceeding threshold value (1 and 0, respectively) was considered a significant signal.

Results: Of the 60, 730 records associated with CAR-T, 11, 037 (18.17%) pertained to neurological events. Tisagenlecleucel exhibited the highest percentage of death (38.02%) and life-threatening (12.90%) outcomes. Notably, it also displayed the broadest distribution of neurotoxicity. Additionally, distinct adverse signals unique to individual CAR-T products were identified. For instance, paraparesis, cerebral hemorrhage, impaired pupillary reflex, Guillain-Barre syndrome, brain death following tisagenlecleucel; dysarthria, orthostatic hypotension, and spinal cord edema after axicabtagene; parkinsonism, Bell's palsy, and cranial nerve paralysis post ciltacabtagene.

Conclusions: Axicabtagene ciloleucel, tisagenlecleucel, brexucabtagene autoleucel, lisocabtagene maraleucel, idecabtagene vicleucel, and ciltacabtagene autoleucel exhibited increased odds of neurotoxicity, with some discrepancies in their characteristics, profiles, and severity.