Objective To improve the knowledge of lung injury induced by rituximab. Methods Clinical data of 5 lymphoma patients with lung injury caused by rituximab chemotherapy were analyzed. Results Five patients received chemotherapy including rituximab, and had fever, cough and dyspnea after 3 to 5 chemotherapy cycles. Chest CT showed bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltrates. All 5 cases experienced hypoxemia or respiratory failure. Clinical symptoms were improved 3 to 5 days after the treatment of glucocorticoids, and pulmonary lesions were significantly alleviated 1 to 2 weeks after the treatment. According to the literature, the incidence rate of lung injury caused by rituximab was 0. 03% to 4. 9%, which has increased recently. Conclusions With the comprehensive application of rituximab, lung injury caused by this drug is not rare. The good prognosis depends on early diagnosis and treatment by further recognition of the side effect of rituximab.
Objectives To systematically evaluate the clinical characteristics of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) caused by Shuanghuanglian Injection (SHLI) and to provide reference for post-market evaluation and clinical application of SHLI. Methods We searched electronic databases such as the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, 1979.1-2009.9), the Chinese Science and Technology Journal Full-text Database (VIP, 1989.1-2009.9), and the Chinese Biomedical Disc (CBMdisc, 1978.1-2009.9). ADR cases were analyzed according to occurrences categorized. Available data was assessed using the Chi-square test including relative ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Different medicine combinations and comparisons between SHL powder injection and SHL injection were calculated using the statistical software Stata 9.1. Results (1) A total of 452 articles were included with a total of 2 799 ADR cases reported. Case reports were the main design type of included literature, which accounted for 84.51%. According to 31165 cases of SHLI treatment and 1 013 corresponding ADRs, the incidence of SHLI ADR was calculated as 3.25%. (2) The ratio of male to female in the reported ADR cases was 1.13׃1. (3) Allergy to Penicillin, which accounted for 13.38% of the total cases, was at the top for past allergic history, followed by sulfonamides and asthma (2.68%). (4) In terms of disease treated respiratory disease accounted for 91.75% of all cases of SHLI ADRs, followed by digestive diseases (5.17%), and urinary diseases (1.11%). (5) Penicillins were the most common combination choice with SHLI, and such combination showed higher ADR risk than SHLI used alone [RR=3.14, 95%CI (2.58, 3.81)]. (6) Multiple systems/organs were involved in SHLI ADRs, and were ranked downwards according to proportion as: skin, digestive system, general reactions, respiratory system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, local reactions, urinary system, hematologic system and others. (7) According to the WHO ADR Classification Criteria, ADR cases were divided into four grades. There were 6.36%, 5.48%, 45.62%, and 2.12% cases of Grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ , respectively. And the prognoses of the rest 52.42% cases were reported unclearly. (8) All cases of death were caused by allergic shock, except for one, which was caused by myocardial infarction induced by pain at the injection site. The fastest ADR case occurred 1 minute after being injected. (9) There was a remarkable difference (Plt;0.05) in the rate of ADR caused by SHLI in power form (2.25%) and as a solution (4.14%). Conclusion The clinical manifestations of ADRs caused by SHLI mainly include skin allergic reactions and gastrointestinal reactions. There is an increased risk of ADR induced by combined uses of SHLI and other drugs, especially antibiotics. Compared to the solution, the powder has lower ADR occurrence and higher safety with statistical significance. We propose strengthening management and surveillance on SHLI from manufacturing to application, and improving the level of the risk management for post-market drugs.
Objectives We conducted a literature review of 33 kinds of Traditional Chinese medicine injections (CMIs) on the national essential medicine list (2004 edition) of China in ADR articles to retrieve basic ADR information and research trends related to CMIs and to provide evidence for the research and development as well as the rational use of CMIs, particularly pharmacovigilance and risk management of CMIs. Methods We electronically searched Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM, Jan. 1978-April 2009), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI, Jan. 1979-April 2009), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP, Jan. 1989-April 2009) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (Jan. 1984 April 2009). We also retrieved the websites of Ministry of Health and State Food and Drug Administration, to collect data about CMIs ADRs reports and regulations from “Newsletter of Adverse Drug Reactions” (Issue 1 to 22). Then we descriptively analyzed all the results on the year published, periodicals and types of study design of included ADR literatures, the major CMIs as well as the regulations about their ADRs. Results (1) There were 5 405 citations found in total and 2160 were removed because of duplication. After screening the title, abstract and full text of the selected papers, 1 010 studies finally met the eligible criteria. (2) The total and cumulative amount of research articles published about CMIs ADRs significantly increases over time. (3) The included 1,010 articles were scattered among 297 periodicals. A total of 55 journals on pharmaceutical medicine, containing 399 articles, accounted for 39.50% of total; 64 journals on traditional Chinese medicine and pharmaceutical medicine, containing only 197 articles, amounted for 19.50% of total. Only 22 periodicals were included on the core journals of the Beijing University List (2008 edition) (8.94% of the total journals in the list), which published 129 articles (12.77% of the total articles published). (4) We categorized the articles included into eight categories based on their content and study methodology. There were: 348 case reports and 254 case series which accounted for 34.46% and 25.15% of the total articles, 119 overviews (11.78%), 116 randomized controlled trials (11.49%), 78 cross-sectional studies (7.72%), 61 ADR literature analyses (6.04%), and 28 non-randomized controlled clinical studies (2.77%). (5) In the three of top ten journals, "Adverse Drug Reactions Journal", "China Medical Herald", and "Chinese Pharmaceuticals" published literature accounted for 5.84%, 3.76% and 2.67% of the total respectively. (6) The reports of ADRs to Shuanghuanglian, Qingkailing and Yuxingcao injections were the most in all reports for CMIs (All the three injections had more than 200 articles, accounting for 41.95% of the total). The Ministry of Health and the State Food and Drug Administration took measures to supervise them. (7) The four kinds of CMIs (Shuanghuanglian, Ciwujia, Yuxingcao, and Yinzhihuang injections) among the top 5 reported ADR literatures were removed from the market or were suspended for sale. The varieties and numbers of reports for CMIs ADRs have relationship with the supervision to them. Conclusions (1) Articles published on CMIs ADRs increased year by year, but overall the research is of low quality and is scattered in a large number of sources. (2) It is very urgent to create a clear standard to grade ADRs of CMIs for the risk management. (3) It is necessary to enforce safety re-evaluation work for CMIs and to promote the clinical rational use.
This article aims to review the recall of refecoxib which increases the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and to find the methods to solve problems in post marked monitoring of drug safety.
Objective To evaluate the safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) versus azathioprine (AZA) for rejection after renal transplantation. Methods We searched MEDLINE (1966 to Jun. 2004), EMBASE (1984 to Jun. 2004), The Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2004) and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM, 1979 to Jun. 2004). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing MMF with AZA for rejection after renal transplantation were included. The quality of included studies such as randomization, blinding, allocation concealment was evaluated and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 4.1.1 software. Results Twenty-Four RCTs comparing MMF (2 g/day or 3 g/day) with AZA for rejection after renal transplantation were identified. The digest system morbidity of MMF group was higher than that of AZA group. The incidence of vomiting, bellyache and diarrhea of MMF 3 g/day group was statistical by higher than that of AZA group (P＜0.05). The cytom egalovirus (CMV) infection morbidity of MMF 3 g/day group during 6 months, 1 year and 2 years follow-up was higher than AZA group with statistical difference, but for MMF 2 g/day group, this difference was only seen during 1 year follow-up. Leukopenia incidence of MMF 3g/day group was higher than AZA group with statistical difference, but this difference was not seen in MMF 2 g/day group. Thrombocytopenia incidence of MMF 3 g/day group was lower than AZA group with statistical difference. For skin carcinoma morbidity, no statistical difference was found among MMF 3 g/day, MMF 2 g/day and AZA groups. Conclusions Compared with AZA, MMF represents higher digest system side-effects incidence, higher morbidity of leucopenia and CMV infection and lower incidence of thrombocytopenia. The dose-response relationship of adverse drug reaction is found.
Objective To evaluate the safety of Rongbisu capsule used for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods A total of 218 patients (average age 63.73±7.50 years old) with phase Ⅰor Ⅱ benign prostatic hyperplasia were treated with oral Rongbisu capsule at a dose of 3 granules twice daily. The therapeutic course was 6 weeks and hepatic function was determined every 2 weeks. Results The median value of ALT in 218 patients rose significantly after the patients took Rongbishu capsule for 6 weeks (P=0.001 7). There were 17 patients whose ALT level rose from normal to abnormal, the incidence was 7.80%. There were 3 patients whose hepatic function was seriously impaired (ALT＞200 IU/L). Conclusions The essential component of Rongbishu capsule is edible tulip which has been recorded in the medical literature as being toxic. Airpotato yam of which the alias is also edible tulip is easily mistaken for edible tulip. Airpotato yam is the tuber of dioscorea bulbifera L. (family dioscoreaceae) which has confirmed hepatotoxcity. Our study result indicates that in order to insure the safety of Chinese crude drug, the origin of Chinese crude drug should be defined in the formulation according to the standard of Chinese drugs preparation. Pharmaceutical enterprises should strictly abide by the standards to identify the origin of Chinese crude drugs when approving the raw materials, especially for species which are poisonous and easily mistaken.
In phase II clinical trial of Compound Prescription of Huangyaozi (Dioscorea bulbifera L.), 7 cases out of 37 developed (18.92%) impairment of liver function. As a result, the ethic committee required researchers to report all data of safety of the drug and have all subjects rechecked about their liver function so as to provided reasonable evidence for the scientifical evaluation of the relationship between the drug and the adverse event and the succedent suspending of the clinical trial.