An observational, retrospective, comprehensive pharmacovigilance analysis of hydroxychloroquine-associated cardiovascular adverse events in patients with and without COVID-19

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-associated cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) have been increasingly reported. AIM: This study aimed to present an observational, retrospective, and comprehensive pharmacovigilance analysis of CVAE associated with HCQ in patients with and without COVID-19 using the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) data from January 2020 to December 2020. METHOD: We identified 3302 adverse event reports from the FAERS database in the year 2020 and divided them into COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups, respectively. Then we analyzed whether there were differences in CVAEs between the two groups. RESULTS: We found that CVAE was higher in cases with COVID-19 compared to those without COVID-19, odds ratio (OR) of 1.26 and a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 1.02–1.54. Cases with COVID-19 treated with HCQ exhibited relatively higher proportions of torsade de points (TdP) and QT prolongation (OR 3.10, 95% CI 2.24–4.30), shock-associated TdP (OR 2.93, 95% CI 2.13–4.04), cardiac arrhythmias (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.60–2.69), cardiac arrhythmia terms (including bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias) (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.65–2.80), bradyarrhythmias (including conduction defects and disorders of sinus node function) (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.86–3.54), and conduction defects (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.86–3.54). CONCLUSION: Our retrospective observational analysis suggested that the proportion of CVAE associated with HCQ, especially TdP and QT prolongation, was higher in patients with COVID-19. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system is essential to providing comprehensive medical care to patients receiving HCQ treatment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11096-022-01457-w.