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Palleria C, Iannone L, Leporini C, Citraro R, Manti A, Caminiti M, Gigliotti P, Grembiale RD, L’Andolina M, Muccari G, Naturale MD, Olivo D, Pagano Mariano G, Pellegrini R, Varcasia G, Abdalla K, Russo E, Ursini F, De Sarro G. Implementing a simple pharmacovigilance program to improve reporting of adverse events associated with biologic therapy in rheumatology: Preliminary results from the Calabria Biologics Pharmacovigilance Program (CBPP). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205134. [PMID: 30356301 PMCID: PMC6200211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Post-marketing surveillance activities (namely pharmacovigilance) are crucial to favor the early detection of unexpected adverse events (AEs) and/or serious adverse reactions (SAEs). Indeed, spontaneous reporting of AEs has been demonstrated to underestimate the number of events in different clinical settings. Aim of the present study is to report the preliminary data of a Regional (Calabria, Italy) Pharmacovigilance Program (CBPP) aimed at improving AEs’ reporting associated with biologics use in rheumatology. Materials and methods We developed a simple, cost-effective pharmacovigilance program based on regular training sessions for physicians (stimulated reporting), periodical phone calls by a clinical pharmacologist aimed at identifying new events and stimulating self-awareness and encouraging reporting to the physician during the subsequent follow-up visit for minor AEs. To test this approach, all consecutive patients undergoing treatment with one biologic agent at eight rheumatology centers during a two-years period were invited to participate. Collected AEs were compared to the number of AEs spontaneously reported for the same molecules in the same centers before starting the protocol. Results During the study period, 399 patients (245 females; mean age: 58 ± 11 years) were started on treatment with biologics for active RA (n = 211, 52.9%), PsA (n = 119, 29.8%) or AS (n = 69, 17.3%) at eight rheumatology centers. A total of 125 AEs (31.3%) and 9 SAEs (2.3%) were reported during the two-years study period. In the control cohort (comprising 368 consecutive patients started on treatment with bDMARDs during a two-years period before CBPP study) only 42 (11.4%) AEs and no SAEs were reported (p < 0.0001). The most common AEs were injection site reactions and skin disorders. Conclusions In conclusion, our study provides further evidence of a critical role of active pharmacovigilance in detection, reporting and analysis of AEs in rheumatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Palleria
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Luigi Iannone
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Christian Leporini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Rita Citraro
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Antonia Manti
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Maurizio Caminiti
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Unit, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Pietro Gigliotti
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, Azienda Ospedaliera Provinciale Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Rosa Daniela Grembiale
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Massimo L’Andolina
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Vibo Valentia, Vibo Valentia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Muccari
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, Azienda Ospedaliera “Pugliese-Ciaccio”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Maria Diana Naturale
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Domenico Olivo
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Crotone, Crotone, Italy
| | - Giuseppa Pagano Mariano
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Unit, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Roberta Pellegrini
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera “SS Annunziata”, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Varcasia
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
- Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale Castrovillari, Castrovillari, Italy
| | - Karim Abdalla
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Francesco Ursini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Catanzaro, Italy
- Associazione Calabrese per la Ricerca in Reumatologia (ACRR), Catanzaro, Italy
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