A new retrospective analysis of the incidence, type and risk factors associated with adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in COVID-19 patients has been published from China. The study used active monitoring of the China Hospital Pharmacovigilance System (CHPS) to detect ADR signals in hospitals. The analysis included 217 patients with confirmed COVID-19 between January and February, 2020. Incidence of ADRs was high during the treatment period (37.8%), and 96.8% of ADRs occurred within 14 days of hospitalisation. The most frequent ADRs were drug-induced gastrointestinal disorders (23.0%) and hepatic reactions (13.8%), associated with lopinavir/ritonavir and umifenovir use (63.8% and 18.1%, respectively). Independent risk factors for ADRs were identified as longer length of stay, larger number of drugs used in hospital, and also the presence of other underlying diseases. Although the patient cohort is unique, common principles about risk factors for ADRs appear to apply for these patients. Read more here.
Contributed by Australian Medication Safety Services Associate – Isabella Singh