Adverse events in patients with leprosy on treatment with thalidomide

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Paula Lana de Miranda Drummond, Roberta Márcia Marques dos Santos, Gabriela Oliveira Carvalho, Cristiane Aparecida Menezes de Pádua
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2019
• Subjects: Thalidomide; Leprosy; Adverse events; Pharmacovigilance; Drug safety; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0385-2018; https://doaj.org/article/82ec0c99fb7545c699267d62370e3879

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Thalidomide, used to treat erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), is associated with severe adverse events (AEs) and is highly teratogenic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on thalidomide-treated patients with ENL. AEs and selected variables were investigated through interviews and assessment of medical records. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated via logistic regression. RESULTS: Peripheral neuropathy symptoms and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were the most common AEs reported. Although women of reproductive age used contraceptives, <50% of patients reported using condoms. Polypharmacy was associated with all endpoints, except DVT. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacovigilance is crucial to prevent harmful thalidomide-associated AEs.