Research Scholar JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru Mysuru, India
Background: Chemotherapy is a widely used treatment option for various types of cancers, but it is not without its side effects. One of the major concerns with chemotherapy is the adverse drug reactions (ADRs) it can cause, especially in the blood and lymphatic system. These ADRs can range from mild to severe and can significantly impact a patient's quality of life.
Objectives: To assess the frequency, causality, and severity of chemotherapy related ADRs associated with blood and lymphatic system disorders
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to examine the spontaneous reports of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to blood and lymphatic system disorders that occurred during 12-month period related to chemotherapy agents. The causality of each reported ADR was evaluated using the World Health Organization (WHO) Probability Scale and Naranjo's Algorithm. The severity of the ADRs was assessed using an adapted version of the criterion developed by Hartwig et al. The collected data was analyzed categorically and presented as [n (%)].
Results: A total of 155 ADRs were reported related to blood and lymphatic system disorders. Among the total reported ADRs, [99 (63.9%)] were females and [59 (36.1%)] were males. The ADRs were predominant among the adult patients [104 (67.1%)], followed by geriatric patients [49 (31.6%)], and least among pediatric patients [2 (1.3%)]. Leukopenia [72 (46.5%)] was the most common ADR reported, followed by anemia [33 (21.3%)], and thrombocytopenia [28 (18.1%)]. The drugs commonly implicated were paclitaxel [34 (21.9%)], followed by oxaliplatin [21 (13.5%)], cisplatin [15 (9.7%)] and gemcitabine [14 (9.0%)], other drugs such as doxorubicin, carboplatin, docetaxel, cytarabine accounted less than 5%. The causality of the ADRs was identified as possible [85 (54.8%)] and probable [70 (45.2%)] according to WHO probability scale while according to Naranjo’s algorithm [87 (56.1%)] were possible and [68 (43.9%)] were probable. Majority [129 (83.2%)] of the reactions were ‘moderate’ in severity.
Conclusions: Early detection and prevention of ADRs is an essential component in the healthcare system. A clinical pharmacist’s involvement in the active surveillance of the ADR detection, reporting, and monitoring will promote patient safety. Further studies are needed to quantify the predisposing factors, with the emphasis on gender as a risk factor for ADR occurrence.
