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Internal and Emergency Medicine
Published in: Internal and Emergency Medicine 3/2021

01-04-2021 | Atorvastatin | IM - ORIGINAL

Adverse drug reactions in SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients: a case-series with a focus on drug–drug interactions

Authors: Giada Crescioli, Valentina Brilli, Cecilia Lanzi, Andrea Burgalassi, Alessandra Ieri, Roberto Bonaiuti, Elias Romano, Rinaldo Innocenti, Guido Mannaioni, Alfredo Vannacci, Niccolò Lombardi

Published in: Internal and Emergency Medicine | Issue 3/2021

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Abstract

Due to the need of early and emergency effective treatments for COVID-19, less attention may have been paid to their safety during the global emergency. In addition, characteristics of drug–drug interaction (DDI)-related adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in COVID-19 patients have not yet been studied in depth. The aim of the present case-series study is to describe clinical and pharmacological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients, focusing on ADRs, particularly those related to DDIs. We evaluated all reports of COVID-19 medication-related ADRs collected within the COVID-19 Units of Careggi University Hospital, Florence (Italy), between January 1st and 31st May 2020. Information regarding COVID-19 medications, patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics, concomitant drugs, ADRs description and outcome, were collected. Each case was evaluated for the causality assessment and to identify the presence of DDIs. During the study period, 23 Caucasian patients (56.5% males, mean age 76.1 years) experienced one or more ADRs. The majority of them were exposed to polypharmacy and 17.4% presented comorbidities. ADRs were referred to cardiovascular, psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders. The most frequently reported preferred term was QT prolongation (mean QT interval 496.1 ms). ADRs improved or resolved completely in 60.8% of cases. For all patients, a case-by-case evaluation revealed the presence of one or more DDIs, especially those related to pharmacokinetic interactions. Despite the small number of patients, our evidence underline the clinical burden of DDIs in SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients and the risk of unexpected and uncommon psychiatric ADRs.
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Metadata
Title
Adverse drug reactions in SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients: a case-series with a focus on drug–drug interactions
Authors
Giada Crescioli
Valentina Brilli
Cecilia Lanzi
Andrea Burgalassi
Alessandra Ieri
Roberto Bonaiuti
Elias Romano
Rinaldo Innocenti
Guido Mannaioni
Alfredo Vannacci
Niccolò Lombardi
Publication date
01-04-2021
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Internal and Emergency Medicine / Issue 3/2021
Print ISSN: 1828-0447
Electronic ISSN: 1970-9366
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-020-02586-8

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WHO estimates that half of all patients worldwide are non-adherent to their prescribed medication. The consequences of poor adherence can be catastrophic, on both the individual and population level.

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