Social media data and its potential for pharmacovigilance: a comparative analysis of reported prevalences regarding drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO)

Drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO) is an increasingly relevant topic among dentists, physicians and patients as well. Due to high prescription rates of calcium channel blockers, anticonvulsants and immunosuppressants, the prevalences of this adverse effect should not be underestimated. To identify differences in the prevalence rates presented, but also possible similarities in the available data, we compared information from package leaflets, social media platforms, current literature and summaries of product characteristics. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the current situation regarding DIGO, various sources were used for data collection. The social media platforms Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok and Instagram were examined using various search terms, and the posts were then evaluated. Triggers of DIGO, treatment strategies, prevalences and the country of origin of the gathered posts were recorded. In addition, given causes and prevalences were extracted from package inserts (PIs), Summaries of product characteristics (SmPCs) and a scientific textbook. The collected data was matched to the corresponding daily defined doses (DDDs) in order to create a standardised database. Regarding the mentioned prevalences, a very heterogeneous distribution was found, depending on the social media platform used and the population size of the respective country. The results show that more drugs than currently known are linked to DIGO, and the prevalence rates described in various sources differ substantially from each other. Moreover, no linear relation between the size of the population and the percentage of contributing posts in the examined countries was found. Professionals should take different sources into consideration to decide which drug is likely to cause gingival overgrowth and which substance has a strong safety profile. Data from PIs and SmPCs alone are not sufficient to make reliable statements about ADRs and thus the drug safety of a particular active ingredient. Social media platforms offer a largely untapped opportunity for the early identification of adverse drug reactions and should be used for the post-market surveillance of pharmaceuticals.