ADVERSE DRUG REACTION PATTERN OF ORAL CORTICOSTEROIDS PRESCRIBED FOR BROCHIALASTHMA IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

BACKGROUND Bronchial Asthma is one of the worldwide health problem associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Bronchial Asthma is a disease of airways that is characterized by hyper-responsiveness of the trachea-bronchial tree to various stimuli. Corticosteroids afford more complete and sustained symptomatic relief than other bronchodilators, but it has its own adverse effects worser than asthma itself. Assessment of adverse effects of oral corticosteroids in asthmatic patients, will play a vital role in alerting physicians regarding the possibility of such events, thereby helping them to protect the user population from such harm. METHODOLOGY The study was conducted at asthma OPD, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai, with 300 asthmatic patients on Oral corticosteroids, fulfilling the study criteria and were observed for three months. Their prescriptions &ADR forms were collected and analysed. The causality assessment was done by WHO-UMC assessment scale and severity by using Modified Hartwig-Seigel severity assessment scale. RESULTS Prednisolone was the most commonly prescribed oral corticosteroid drug. 18% of patients encountered Adverse Drug Reactions. Epigastric pain (33%) was the most common Adverse Drug Reaction encountered and was more common in elderly females (61-70 years). Most of the ADRs were mild and comes under possible category of WHO causality assessment scale. CONCLUSION Our study offers a representative idea of the ADR profile of oral corticosteroids. Oral corticosteroids though taken for limited period, is found to cause adverse effects. Hence it would be better to switch over to inhaled corticosteroids. If unavoidable, they can be used as a rescue therapy for short term (5-7 days)