Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors

Background: Recently, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been advocated by the Indian Council of Medical Research for prophylaxis of COVID-19, and the Food and Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization for its use in the treatment of severe COVID-19 disease in hospitalized patients. HCQ is...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rajesh K Kulkarni, Aarti A Kinikar, Tushar Jadhav
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
Series:Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2020;volume=13;issue=3;spage=204;epage=207;aulast=Kulkarni
_version_ 1828349136190046208
author Rajesh K Kulkarni
Aarti A Kinikar
Tushar Jadhav
author_facet Rajesh K Kulkarni
Aarti A Kinikar
Tushar Jadhav
author_sort Rajesh K Kulkarni
collection DOAJ
description Background: Recently, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been advocated by the Indian Council of Medical Research for prophylaxis of COVID-19, and the Food and Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization for its use in the treatment of severe COVID-19 disease in hospitalized patients. HCQ is generally well tolerated; however, concerns about adverse effects in adults prescribed with HCQ for prophylaxis remain. Our study was designed to investigate the adverse drug reaction (ADR) profile of HCQ in prophylactic doses for COVID-19 prophylaxis among doctors. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among doctors taking HCQ prophylaxis for COVID-19. The study was carried out over 1 month from April 1, to April 30, 2020. Data regarding age, sex, comorbidities, number of doses taken, concomitant drug therapy, adherence to drug schedule, need for treatment of ADRs, and possible adverse effects were obtained from the patients. The participants were administered an online pretested, validated questionnaire to ascertain the adverse effects they noticed while taking HCQ. Results: One-hundred and forty doctors were included in the study group. Sixty-nine adverse events were documented in 44 participants (31%). The most frequently reported symptoms were headache followed by nausea, dizziness, abdominal cramps, and loose stools. Hypoglycemia was seen in three participants, all with diabetes. Sixteen participants required medication to treat the adverse effects (most commonly ibuprofen for headache), while four participants discontinued the drug due to adverse effects (two each because of hypoglycemia and one each because of nausea and loose stools). There was no statistically significant difference of age, gender, number of doses taken, or comorbidities on adverse effects. Conclusion: Almost a third of the participants reported adverse effects. Utmost care is necessary before using HCQ prophylactically for chemoprophylaxis of COVID-19.
first_indexed 2024-04-14T01:05:13Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3565fd5b663649c3af5508de2186aece
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2589-8302
2589-8310
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-14T01:05:13Z
publishDate 2020-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth
spelling doaj.art-3565fd5b663649c3af5508de2186aece2022-12-22T02:21:15ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsMedical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth2589-83022589-83102020-01-0113320420710.4103/mjdrdypu.mjdrdypu_220_20Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctorsRajesh K KulkarniAarti A KinikarTushar JadhavBackground: Recently, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been advocated by the Indian Council of Medical Research for prophylaxis of COVID-19, and the Food and Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization for its use in the treatment of severe COVID-19 disease in hospitalized patients. HCQ is generally well tolerated; however, concerns about adverse effects in adults prescribed with HCQ for prophylaxis remain. Our study was designed to investigate the adverse drug reaction (ADR) profile of HCQ in prophylactic doses for COVID-19 prophylaxis among doctors. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among doctors taking HCQ prophylaxis for COVID-19. The study was carried out over 1 month from April 1, to April 30, 2020. Data regarding age, sex, comorbidities, number of doses taken, concomitant drug therapy, adherence to drug schedule, need for treatment of ADRs, and possible adverse effects were obtained from the patients. The participants were administered an online pretested, validated questionnaire to ascertain the adverse effects they noticed while taking HCQ. Results: One-hundred and forty doctors were included in the study group. Sixty-nine adverse events were documented in 44 participants (31%). The most frequently reported symptoms were headache followed by nausea, dizziness, abdominal cramps, and loose stools. Hypoglycemia was seen in three participants, all with diabetes. Sixteen participants required medication to treat the adverse effects (most commonly ibuprofen for headache), while four participants discontinued the drug due to adverse effects (two each because of hypoglycemia and one each because of nausea and loose stools). There was no statistically significant difference of age, gender, number of doses taken, or comorbidities on adverse effects. Conclusion: Almost a third of the participants reported adverse effects. Utmost care is necessary before using HCQ prophylactically for chemoprophylaxis of COVID-19.http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2020;volume=13;issue=3;spage=204;epage=207;aulast=Kulkarniadverse drug effectschemoprophylaxiscovid-19doctorshydroxychloroquine
spellingShingle Rajesh K Kulkarni
Aarti A Kinikar
Tushar Jadhav
Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors
Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth
adverse drug effects
chemoprophylaxis
covid-19
doctors
hydroxychloroquine
title Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors
title_full Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors
title_fullStr Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors
title_full_unstemmed Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors
title_short Adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 among doctors
title_sort adverse drug reaction profile of prophylactic hydroxychloroquine for covid 19 among doctors
topic adverse drug effects
chemoprophylaxis
covid-19
doctors
hydroxychloroquine
url http://www.mjdrdypv.org/article.asp?issn=2589-8302;year=2020;volume=13;issue=3;spage=204;epage=207;aulast=Kulkarni
work_keys_str_mv AT rajeshkkulkarni adversedrugreactionprofileofprophylactichydroxychloroquineforcovid19amongdoctors
AT aartiakinikar adversedrugreactionprofileofprophylactichydroxychloroquineforcovid19amongdoctors
AT tusharjadhav adversedrugreactionprofileofprophylactichydroxychloroquineforcovid19amongdoctors