Assessment of adverse drug reactions among acute myeloid leukaemia patients at Kenyatta National Hospital

BackgroundAcute Myeloid leukaemia (AML) chemotherapy is linked to a considerable adverse drug reaction (ADRs). However, data regarding the ADRs in AML patients receiving chemotherapy in Kenya is scarce. This study aimed to assess the adverse drug reactions among AML patients treated at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).MethodsA one-arm retrospective cohort study design was used to assess ADRs among eligible AML patients who received treatment at KNH between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2023. A data abstraction tool was used to collect socio-demographics, comorbidities, the treatment regimen, and chemotherapy-related ADRs. The CTCAE v3.0 grading system and the modified Schumock and Thornton Scale were used to evaluate the severity and preventability of ADRs, respectively. The data collected was analysed using the SPSS version 29.0.01 software. Mean and median were used to report the age of participants, while other socio-demographic variables and adverse drug reactions were reported as percentages and frequencies.ResultsThe prevalence of ADRs in this study was 96.7%, with a total of 123 ADRs recorded. The main adverse reactions observed were neutropenia (18%), thrombocytopenia (16.3%), anaemia (14.6%), and liver damage (10.6%). The majority of the ADRs recorded were of moderate severity (40.7%) and non-preventable (59.3%).ConclusionThe prevalence of ADRs in AML patients was high. The most frequently reported ADR was neutropenia. The majority of ADRs were moderate severity level and non-preventable.