Preventable adverse drug events in critically ill HIV patients: Is the detection of potential drug-drug interactions a useful tool?

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a strategy to identify adverse drug events associated with drug-drug interactions by analyzing the prescriptions of critically ill patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included HIV/AIDS patients who were admitted to an intensive care unit between November 2006 and September 2008. Data were collected in two stages. In the first stage, three prescriptions administered throughout the entire duration of these patients' hospitalization were reviewed, with the Micromedex database used to search for potential drug-drug interactions. In the second stage, a search for adverse drug events in all available medical, nursing and laboratory records was performed. The probability that a drug-drug interaction caused each adverse drug events was assessed using the Naranjo algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 186 drug prescriptions of 62 HIV/AIDS patients were analyzed. There were 331 potential drug-drug interactions, and 9% of these potential interactions resulted in adverse drug events in 16 patients; these adverse drug events included treatment failure (16.7%) and adverse reactions (83.3%). Most of the adverse drug reactions were classified as possible based on the Naranjo algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: The approach used in this study allowed for the detection of adverse drug events related to 9% of the potential drug-drug interactions that were identified; these adverse drug events affected 26% of the study population. With the monitoring of adverse drug events based on prescriptions, a combination of the evaluation of potential drug-drug interactions by clinical pharmacy services and the monitoring of critically ill patients is an effective strategy that can be used as a complementary tool for safety assessments and the prevention of adverse drug events.

Comparison of adverse events following immunization with pandemic influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 vaccine with or without adjuvant among health professionals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A vaccination campaign against pandemic influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 was held in Brazil in March 2010, using two types of monovalent split virus vaccines: an AS03-adjuvanted vaccine and a non-adjuvanted vaccine. We compared the reactogenicity of the vaccines in health professionals from a Clinical Research Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and there were no serious adverse events following immunization (AEFI) among the 494 subjects evaluated. The prevalence of any AEFI was higher in the AS03-adjuvanted vaccine at 2 h and 24 h post-vaccination [preva-lence ratio (PR): 2.05, confidence interval (CI) 95%: 1.55-2.71, PR: 3.42, CI 95%: 2.62-4.48, respectively]; however, there was no difference between the vaccines in the assessments conducted at seven and 21 days post-vaccination. The group receiving the AS03 post-adjuvanted vaccine had a higher frequency of local reactions at 2 h (PR: 3.01, CI 95%: 2.12-4.29), 24 h (PR: 4.57, CI 95%: 3.29-6.37) and seven days (PR: 6.05, CI 95%: 2.98-12.28) post-vaccination. We concluded that the two types of vaccines caused no serious AEFI in the studied population and the adjuvanted vaccine was more reactogenic, particularly in the 24 h following vaccination. This behaviour must be confirmed and better characterised by longitudinal studies in the general population.

Eventos adversos relacionados a interações medicamentosas em pacientes com SIDA em terapia intensiva / Adverse events related to drug interactions in AIDS patients in intensive care

Introdução: Eventos adversos a medicamentos (EAM) são frequentes em meio hospitalar, principalmente em pacientes em terapia intensiva, com consequências diretas no tempo de internação, mortalidade e custos hospitalares. Pacientes com infecções graves tais como HIV/SIDA e criticamente doentes, possuem risco elevado de EAM devido à necessidade de terapias com múltiplos fármacos o que predispõe a interações medicamentosas. A investigação de potenciais interações medicamentosas (PIMs) e de EAMs a elas relacionados podem ser ferramentas úteis para a avaliação do risco a que estes pacientes estão expostos. Objetivo: Analisar e classificar as PIMs e os EAMs em pacientes com HIV/SIDA criticamente enfermos. Métodos: Estudo descritivo retrospectivo, com revisão dos prontuários de pacientes com HIV/SIDA internados no Centro de Terapia Intensiva do Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas- Fiocruz, no período de 10/2006 a 10/2008, avaliando as PIMs e EAMs associadas às mesmas. O estudo foi realizado em duas fases. Na primeira, as PIMs foram identificadas e classificadas segundo as bases de dados Drugs.com e Micromedex, comparando-se o grau de concordância através do índice kappa. Na segunda fase, foi realizada a busca em prontuário dos EAMs associados às PIMs identificadas pela base Micromedex. Os EAMs observados foram classificados segundo a causalidade. Resultados: Foi observada maior frequência de PIMs moderadas, de mecanismo farmacocinético, tempo de aparecimento do evento tardio e com bom nível de evidência. A concordância entre as bases de dados segundo a gravidade e mecanismo de ação foi considerada moderada (kappa=0,43) e substancial (kappa=0,61) respectivamente. Dentre as PIMs identificadas, 9 porcento resultaram em eventos adversos, incluindo falhas terapêuticas e reações adversas. Houve predomínio das reações adversas de causalidade possível e que afetam o sistema gastrointestinal. Dos pares de fármacos envolvidos, destaca-se o Omeprazol x Fluconazol, representando 16 porcento (5/29) das interações relacionadas aos EAM identificados e cujo uso recomenda vi monitorização do paciente. Conclusão: Os resultados deste estudo demonstram que há alta frequência de PIMs nas prescrições de pacientes criticamente enfermos com HIV/SIDA. A difusão do conhecimento para a equipe multiprofissional sobre os fatores de risco associados às interações medicamentosas e eventos adversos assim como o monitoramento destes, pode constituir um importante instrumento na prevenção de problemas relacionados a medicamentos, garantindo a segurança do paciente.

Introduction: Adverse drug events (ADE) are common in hospitals, especially in patients in intensive care, with direct consequences on the length of stay, mortality and hospital costs. Patients with severe infections such as HIV / AIDS and critically ill, have high risk of ADE due to the need for multiple drug therapy which predisposes to drug interactions. The investigation of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) and ADEs related to them can be useful tools for assessing the risk that these patients are exposed. Objective: To analyze and classify the DDIs and the ADEs in patients with HIV / AIDS critically ill. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study with retrospective chart review of patients with HIV / AIDS admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Clinical Research Institute Evandro Chagas-Fiocruz, in the period 10/2006 10/2008, evaluating the DDIs and ADEs associated with the same. The study was conducted in two stages. At first, the PIMs were identified and classified according to the database Micromedex and Drugs.com, comparing the degree of agreement using the Kappa index. In the second phase, the search was conducted in the medical records of ADEs associated with DDIs identified by Micromedex. Results: It was observed a higher frequency of moderate DDIs, pharmacokinetic mechanism, delayed onset time and good scientific documentation. The agreement between the databases according to the severity and mechanism of action was considered moderate (kappa = 0.43) and substantial (kappa = 0.61) respectively. Among the identified DDIs, 9 percent resulted in adverse events, including adverse reactions and therapeutic failures. There was a predominance of adverse reactions of causality possible that affect the gastrointestinal system. Between pairs of drugs involved, stands out Omeprazole/Fluconazole, representing 16 percent (5/29) of interactions related to EAM identified and whose use is recommended patient monitoring. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that there is a high frequency of DDIs in the viii prescriptions of critically ill patients with AIDS. The diffusion of knowledge to the multidisciplinary team about the risk factors associated with DDIs and ADEs as well as monitoring of these may constitute an important tool in preventing drug-related problems, ensuring patient safety.