scholarly journals Adverse Event Circumstances and the Case of Drug Interactions

Healthcare ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodoros G. Soldatos ◽  
David B. Jackson

Adverse events are a common and for the most part unavoidable consequence of therapeutic intervention. Nevertheless, available tomes of such data now provide us with an invaluable opportunity to study the relationship between human phenotype and drug-induced protein perturbations within a patient system. Deciphering the molecular basis of such adverse responses is not only paramount to the development of safer drugs but also presents a unique opportunity to dissect disease systems in search of novel response biomarkers, drug targets, and efficacious combination therapies. Inspired by the potential applications of this approach, we first examined adverse event circumstances reported in FAERS and then performed a molecular level interrogation of cancer patient adverse events to investigate the prevalence of drug-drug interactions in the context of patient responses. We discuss avoidable and/or preventable cases and how molecular analytics can help optimize therapeutic use of co-medications. While up to one out of three adverse events in this dataset might be explicable by iatrogenic, patient, and product/device related factors, almost half of the patients in FAERS received multiple drugs and one in four may have experienced effects attributable to drug interactions.

Author(s):  
Noriko Morioka ◽  
Masayo Kashiwagi

Despite the importance of patient safety in home-care nursing provided by licensed nurses in patients’ homes, little is known about the nationwide incidence of adverse events in Japan. This article describes the incidence of adverse events among home-care nursing agencies in Japan and investigates the characteristics of agencies that were associated with adverse events. A cross-sectional nationwide self-administrative questionnaire survey was conducted in March 2020. The questionnaire included the number of adverse event occurrences in three months, the process of care for patient safety, and other agency characteristics. Of 9979 agencies, 580 questionnaires were returned and 400 were included in the analysis. The number of adverse events in each agency ranged from 0 to 47, and 26.5% of the agencies did not report any adverse event cases. The median occurrence of adverse events was three. In total, 1937 adverse events occurred over three months, of which pressure ulcers were the most frequent (80.5%). Adjusting for the number of patients in a month, the percentage of patients with care-need level 3 or higher was statistically significant. Adverse events occurring in home-care nursing agencies were rare and varied widely across agencies. The patients’ higher care-need levels affected the higher number of adverse events in home-care nursing agencies.


Immunotherapy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Abdel-Rahman

Objective: To analyze tumor- and treatment-related factors that might impact the development of certain adverse events (AEs) of potential immune etiology among patients receiving PD-(L)1 inhibitors. Methods: The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) was accessed, and AE reports related to the use of PD-L1 inhibitors were reviewed. Associations between treatment, tumor type and occurrence of AEs of special interest were analyzed through multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 80,304 AE reports were included in the current analysis. Diagnosis with lung cancer was associated with a higher probability of pneumonitis; diagnosis with melanoma was associated with a higher probability of hepatitis, hypophysitis/hypopituitarism and uveitis; and diagnosis with genitourinary cancers was associated with a higher probability of nephritis, adrenal insufficiency and myocarditis. Conclusion:  Within this cohort limited to AEs reported to the FAERS, there is an association between different AEs of special interest, agent(s) used and tumor(s) treated.


Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 1409-1409
Author(s):  
Maria Trabazo ◽  
Albert Catala ◽  
Ruben Berrueco ◽  
Gabriela Corbalan ◽  
Anna Ruiz ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Acute leukemia is the most frequent cancer in childhood. The use of dose-intensive chemotherapy regimens has significantly increased the overall survival of acute leukemia during the last years. As a result of more dose-intensive myelosuppressive and immunosuppressive therapies there is a higher risk of systemic fungal infections. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) represents a significant source of morbidity and mortality (>50%), and therefore measures that effectively prevent IPA are needed. Prophylaxis of IPA with anti-mold azoles is effective, but has adverse systemic effects and important drug interactions with some chemotherapeutic agents (i.e. vincristine). Currently there is no optimal prophylaxis for IPA in pediatric patients so new strategies are needed. Because IPA originates from the inhalation of conidia, a prophylactic approach is the topical administration of antifungals inside the lungs. Aerosolized lipid formulations of amphotericin B could prevent IPA and avoid systemic adverse events and drug interactions. There are no published studies reporting feasibility and safety of inhaled lipidic amphotericins in the pediatric population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The safety, feasibility and tolerance of nebulized lipid complex amphotericin B (ABCL) was evaluated in a phase II open label single arm trial on the use in pediatric patients (3 to 18 year-old) with acute leukemia during intensive chemotherapy. Nebulized therapy was administered by a PARI eFlow®rapid nebulizer system twice weekly, at 50 mg the first week and then 25 mg during intensive chemotherapy until recovery of neutropenia (3 consecutive absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥1x109/L or one ANC ≥1.5x109/L). Treatment was resumed during neutropenic episodes following subsequent chemotherapy cycles. Serum galactomannan assay was performed twice weekly during neutropenia. High-resolution chest computed tomography was done when there was a clinical suspicion of IPA. Fluconazole was allowed but antifungal drugs with anti-mold activity were not permitted. The trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01615809. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were included, 19 were male (59.4%), median age was of 5.5 years (range 3-16). Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 3 with acute myeloid leukemia. Among the patients with ALL, 24 had a de novo ALL and 5 a relapsed ALL. A total of 389 administrations of nebulized ABCL were performed, with a median per patient of 13 (range 1-19). All patients tolerated the drug and no patient had to discontinue it due to intolerance or an adverse event. No patient presented a severe adverse event in relation to ABCL. Five patients suffered from mild adverse events (cough, eye discomfort). Nine patients were withdrawn from the study, 2 were referred to another institution to undergo bone marrow transplantation and 7 due to systemic administration of an antifungal agent with anti-mold activity. Three of these patients developed a possible or probable IPA. There were no other cases of IPA. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic nebulizations with ABCL were well tolerated, safe and feasible in children aged 3-18 years diagnosed with acute leukemia. There is a need to perform further studies with a higher number of patients to evaluate the efficacy of this approach. Disclosures Rives: Teva Pharma: Other. Off Label Use: Nebulized Amphotericin-B lipid complex is not approved for prophylaxis of invasive fungal infection in pediatric patients with acute leukemia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sachiyo Onishi ◽  
Masahiro Tajika ◽  
Hideaki Bando ◽  
Yuki Matsubara ◽  
Waki Hosoda ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown clinically significant antitumor efficacy and have been approved for the treatment of various kinds of advanced malignancies. On the other hand, these immunotherapies show unique adverse events, termed “immune-related adverse events,” which are distinctly associated with conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. Hepatotoxicity is recognized as an immune-related adverse event; prompt treatment with corticosteroids is recommended. However, some cases are refractory to steroids. Here, we report the first case (to our knowledge) of steroid-refractory immune-related hepatitis that was successfully treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and bezafibrate. Case presentation A 68-year-old Asian man, came to our hospital for the treatment of malignant melanoma involving the gingiva and presenting with multiple lymph node and bone metastases was administered nivolumab as a first-line treatment. Two months into treatment, the patient developed diarrhea as a result of immune-related colitis; the colitis was treated successfully with prednisolone 60 mg/ day, resulting in improvement in the patient’s symptoms. However, when steroids were being tapered, acute elevation of liver enzymes was observed. Autoimmune hepatitis was suspected as an immune-related adverse event, and treatment with intravenous prednisolone 60 mg/ day was reinitiated. However, restoration of the steroid treatment failed to improve the patient’s liver enzymes. On the basis of histological findings from liver biopsy and exclusion of other etiologies such as viral infection and other drug-induced hepatitis, steroid-refractory hepatic immune-related adverse event was deemed the most likely cause of the patient’s acute hepatitis. In general, mycophenolate mofetil or tacrolimus is known to provide benefits in cases of steroid-refractory hepatitis. We therefore decided to add oral ursodeoxycholic acid and bezafibrate in consideration of the patient’s background of repeated aspiration pneumonia. Administration of this regimen resulted in an improvement in liver function, which remained normal even after tapering of prednisolone. Conclusions Ursodeoxycholic acid and bezafibrate may be useful for treatment of steroid-refractory immune-related adverse event hepatitis.


Author(s):  
Meera Varshneya ◽  
Itziar Irurzun-Arana ◽  
Chiara Campana ◽  
Rafael Dariolli ◽  
Amy Gutierrez ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMany drugs that have been proposed for treatment of COVID-19 are reported to cause cardiac adverse events, including ventricular arrhythmias. In order to properly weigh risks against potential benefits, particularly when decisions must be made quickly, mathematical modeling of both drug disposition and drug action can be useful for predicting patient response and making informed decisions. Here we explored the potential effects on cardiac electrophysiology of 4 drugs proposed to treat COVID-19: lopinavir, ritonavir, chloroquine, and azithromycin, as well as combination therapy involving these drugs. Our study combined simulations of pharmacokinetics (PK) with quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) modeling of ventricular myocytes to predict potential cardiac adverse events caused by these treatments. Simulation results predicted that drug combinations can lead to greater cellular action potential prolongation, analogous to QT prolongation, compared with drugs given in isolation. The combination effect can result from both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug interactions. Importantly, simulations of different patient groups predicted that females with pre-existing heart disease are especially susceptible to drug-induced arrhythmias, compared males with disease or healthy individuals of either sex. Overall, the results illustrate how PK and QSP modeling may be combined to more precisely predict cardiac risks of COVID-19 therapies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (42) ◽  
pp. 5835-5846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Licata ◽  
Antonina Giammanco ◽  
Maria Giovanna Minissale ◽  
Salvatore Pagano ◽  
Salvatore Petta ◽  
...  

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Statins are a class of drugs whose main adverse effects are drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and myopathy. Some of these may be predictable, due to their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, while others, unfortunately, are idiosyncratic. Genetic factors may also influence patient susceptibility to DILI and myopathy in the case of statins. This review will first discuss the role of statins in cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention and the underlying mechanisms of action. Furthermore, to explore the susceptibility of statin-induced adverse events such as myopathy and hepatotoxicity, it will then focus on the recent Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) concerning the transporter genes, Cytochrome P450 (CYP), organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP) and ABCB1 and ABCC1, which seem to play a role in the development of clinically relevant adverse events. Finally, we appraise the evidence for and against the use of statins in metabolic syndrome and in HCV-infected patients, in terms of their safety and efficacy in cardiovascular events.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viswam Subeesh ◽  
Eswaran Maheswari ◽  
Hemendra Singh ◽  
Thomas Elsa Beulah ◽  
Ann Mary Swaroop

Background: The signal is defined as “reported information on a possible causal relationship between an adverse event and a drug, of which the relationship is unknown or incompletely documented previously”. Objective: To detect novel adverse events of iloperidone by disproportionality analysis in FDA database of Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) using Data Mining Algorithms (DMAs). Methodology: The US FAERS database consists of 1028 iloperidone associated Drug Event Combinations (DECs) which were reported from 2010 Q1 to 2016 Q3. We consider DECs for disproportionality analysis only if a minimum of ten reports are present in database for the given adverse event and which were not detected earlier (in clinical trials). Two data mining algorithms, namely, Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR) and Information Component (IC) were applied retrospectively in the aforementioned time period. A value of ROR-1.96SE>1 and IC- 2SD>0 were considered as the threshold for positive signal. Results: The mean age of the patients of iloperidone associated events was found to be 44years [95% CI: 36-51], nevertheless age was not mentioned in twenty-one reports. The data mining algorithms exhibited positive signal for akathisia (ROR-1.96SE=43.15, IC-2SD=2.99), dyskinesia (21.24, 3.06), peripheral oedema (6.67,1.08), priapism (425.7,9.09) and sexual dysfunction (26.6-1.5) upon analysis as those were well above the pre-set threshold. Conclusion: Iloperidone associated five potential signals were generated by data mining in the FDA AERS database. The result requires an integration of further clinical surveillance for the quantification and validation of possible risks for the adverse events reported of iloperidone.


2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Pires ◽  
Ana Fernandes

Background: Natural products are commonly used for treating health problems. These products may be associated with adverse events, which are defined as "noxious and unintended response to a medicinal product" by the European Medicine Agency. Objectives: To identify studies describing at least one adverse event (or with potential to promote an adverse event) related to the use of natural products, as well as to describe the involved product(s) and adverse event(s). Methods: A pre-systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Keywords: "natural product(s)" and ["adverse drug reaction(s)" or "adverse effect(s)"]. Screened databases: PubMed, SciELO, DOAJ and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria: papers describing at least one adverse event associated with the use of natural products and published between 2017 and 2019. Exclusion criteria: Repeated studies, reviews and papers written in other languages than English, Portuguese, French or Spanish. Results: 104 studies were identified (20 PubMed; 0 SciELO; 2 DOAJ; 82 Google Scholar), but only 10 were selected (4 PubMed and 6 Google Scholar): 1 in-vitro study; 2 non-clinical studies, 1 study reporting in-vitro and clinical data and 5 studies were cases reports. Globally, 997 reports of adverse drug reactions with natural products were identified, mainly non-severe cases. Conclusion: Since a limited number of studies was found, we conclude that adverse events due to natural products may be underreported, or natural products may have a good safety profile. This review contributes for assuring the safety of natural products consumers, by evaluating the knowledge/information on the potential adverse events and interactions of these products.


2021 ◽  
pp. 107815522110313
Author(s):  
Emre Demir ◽  
Osman Sütcüoğlu ◽  
Beril Demir ◽  
Oktay Ünsal ◽  
Ozan Yazıcı

Introduction Favipiravir is an antiviral agent that is recently used for SARS-CoV2 infection. The drug-drug interactions of favipiravir especially with chemotherapeutic agents in a patient with malignancy are not well known. Case report The patient diagnosed with metastatic osteosarcoma was given high dose methotrexate treatment, and favipiravir was started on the third day of the treatment with suspicion of SARS-CoV2 infection. Grade 3 hepatotoxicity developed after favipiravir. Management & outcome: The acute viral hepatitis panel and autoimmune liver disease panel were negative. The ultrasound of the abdomen was unremarkable for any hepatobiliary pathology. The all viral and hepatobiliary possible etiological factors were ruled out. The patient’s liver enzymes increased just after (12 hours later) the initiation of favipiravir, and we diagnosed toxic hepatitis caused by favipiravir-methotrexate interaction. Therefore, methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg dose was started for a presumed diagnosis of toxic hepatitis. Hepatotoxicity completely regressed after favipiravir was discontinued. Discussion Favipiravir may inhibit methotrexate elimination by inhibiting aldehyde oxidase and its sequential use may cause hepatotoxicity in this case. The clinicians should keep in mind possible drug interactions while using new antiviral agents against SARS-CoV2 like favipiravir.


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