METHOTREXATE USE IS SAFE IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Monitoring level of methotrexate is not only aimed at monitoring effectiveness, but also safety aspects of the administration of high-dose methotrexate because the use of high-dose methotrexate is one of the problems associated with toxicity in various organs.  In the use of high-dose methotrexate, measurement of methotrexate is important to identify patients with a high risk of toxicity, particularly nephrotoxicity as well as for dosing guidelines for leucovorin therapy. The aim of this study was to analyze the safety of high-dose methotrexate on kidney function during chemotherapy consolidation phase in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This was a longitudinal, observational prospective study conducted to determine the safety profile of high-dose methotrexate on kidney function during chemotherapy consolidation phase in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were given high-dose methotrexate according to the 2013 Indonesian ALL Chemotherapy Protocol. Measurement of methotrexate level and kidney function was done 3 times on each cycle of chemotherapy consolidation phase. Measurements were made on the 0, 24 and 48 hours after the first drop of high-dose methotrexate. This study had been reviewed by Ethics Committee of Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya. There were 12 patients who met inclusion criteria and 6 patients among them had finished their chemotherapy consolidation phase completely. There was no significant change in kidney function after the administration of high-dose methotrexate compared to baseline (p>0.05) and there was no significant correlation between serum level of methotrexate versus creatinine clearance. In conclusion, methotrexate was safe to use in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Mechanism of Actions, Efficacy, and Long-term Use of Steroids in Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA)

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare condition in which autoantibodies cause the loss of red blood cells. Steroids have been used to treat several illnesses, including AIHA. For now, steroids remain as the first line of treatment for AIHA. In AIHA, especially warm AIHA (wAIHA), steroids suppress autoantibody production and downregulate Fcγ receptors' expression on monocytes to prevent hemolysis. The type of steroids chosen for first-line therapy for wAIHA in pediatrics and adults are Prednisone (Prednisolone) and Methylprednisolone. At the same time, Dexamethasone is used as an alternative treatment in AIHA. Steroids show better therapeutic outcomes in the first 2-3 weeks of administration, but the proportion of patients who remain in remission after steroid discontinuation are still quite low. Long-term administration of steroids may affect bone, blood glucose metabolism, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). However, steroids which have a linear pharmacokinetic profile, intermediate-acting glucocorticoids such as Prednisone (Prednisolone) or Methylprednisolone, and also tapering dose of steroids after 2-4 weeks administration will be safe for long term use as AIHA treatment.Keywords: steroids, glucocorticoid, corticosteroid, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, AIHA, mechanism of action, efficac

Analysis of fall risk increasing drugs on Morse Fall Scale in geriatric patients (a study at geriatric outpatient clinic Airlangga University Teaching Hospital)

Falls are the geriatric syndromes that become one of the main causes of injury, even death in the elderly. It is known that one of the risk factors for falling is the use of certain drugs that have the effect of orthostatic hypotension, sedation, balance disruptions, and other side effects. This study aims to examine the risk of falling based on Morse scale of geriatric patient that use fall-risk drug. Retrospective data were taken from e-prescriptions for geriatric patients and interviews with the patients to determine the risk of falling based on the Morse scale. The results showed that 115 patients who used the fall-risk drug had an average risk of falling from mild to moderate. The high fall-risk drug used by most patients was gabapentin (43%), the moderate fall-risk drug was candesartan (60%), and the low fall-risk drug was furosemide (9%). Patients with the total of 71% received a combination of two to four fall-risk drugs. Total MFRS of ≥6 was 53% patients, meaning that the patients’ using of drugs needed to be evaluated. From the results of statistical analysis, it was found that the number of fall risk drugs received by patients was not associated to the risk of falling in geriatric patients, while increasing the dose of high fall-risk drugs such as gabapentin, increased the fall risk level in geriatric patients. From the result of this study, it is known that fall-risk drugs are widely used by patients, hence it is necessary to increase the awareness of falling in geriatric patients

Analysis of fall risk increasing drugs on Morse Fall Scale in geriatric patients (a study at geriatric outpatient clinic Airlangga University Teaching Hospital)

Falls are the geriatric syndromes that become one of the main causes of injury, even death in the elderly. It is known that one of the risk factors for falling is the use of certain drugs that have the effect of orthostatic hypotension, sedation, balance disruptions, and other side effects. This study aims to examine the risk of falling based on Morse scale of geriatric patient that use fall-risk drug. Retrospective data were taken from e-prescriptions for geriatric patients and interviews with the patients to determine the risk of falling based on the Morse scale. The results showed that 115 patients who used the fall-risk drug had an average risk of falling from mild to moderate. The high fall-risk drug used by most patients was gabapentin (43%), the moderate fall-risk drug was candesartan (60%), and the low fall-risk drug was furosemide (9%). Patients with the total of 71% received a combination of two to four fall-risk drugs. Total MFRS of ≥6 was 53% patients, meaning that the patients’ using of drugs needed to be evaluated. From the results of statistical analysis, it was found that the number of fall risk drugs received by patients was not associated to the risk of falling in geriatric patients, while increasing the dose of high fall-risk drugs such as gabapentin, increased the fall risk level in geriatric patients. From the result of this study, it is known that fall-risk drugs are widely used by patients, hence it is necessary to increase the awareness of falling in geriatric patients

Shifts in drugs use after the COVID-19 pandemic based on the analysis of ABC, VEN and ABC-VEN matrix

Background: The existence of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in medicine use in patients. Objective: This study aims to determine patterns and differences in medicine use at Airlangga University Hospital before (2018 and 2019) and after (2020–2022) the COVID-19 pandemic based on ABC, VEN and ABC-VEN matrix analysis. Methods: This study is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data on all patients’ medicine use items between January 1st, 2018 – December 31st, 2022 which obtained from the hospital information system will be analyzed according to category based on the principles of ABC analysis, VEN, and the ABC-VEN combination and a statistical t-test analysis in SPSS to find out differences in medicine use at the Universitas Airlangga Hospital in the pre-pandemic era of COVID-19 versus the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Based on the results of the study, a total of 6893 drug items were obtained. There was a significant shift in the pattern of non-essential medicines use prescribed to patients after the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0,05). Conclusion: There was a shift in the pattern of use of prescribed non-essential medicines after the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic occurred