Adverse Drug Reactions in Corona Virus Disease Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit: An Observational Study

Background: Occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in COVID-19 patients has not been extensively studied. Aim: The present study was conducted to analyze the pattern of suspected ADRs in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all the individual case study reports of patients admitted to the COVID ICU (August-October 2020) were analyzed for type of ADRs, system involved, suspected drug, onset time, time to revert and management. Results: Thirty six patients (out of 395 patients admitted) experienced 44 ADRs. Dermatological manifestations were the most frequent ADRs. Remdesivir was the most common drug associated with ADRs. The female gender, polypharmacy (>5 drugs) and presence of comorbidities were the independent risk factors for the occurrence of ADRs. Conclusion: Use of many of these drugs in COVID-19 is experimental and the literature does not guarantee their safety and efficacy. During these times of uncertainty, the results from the present study reinforce the importance of monitoring patients.