Re:FDA approves new drug to treat influenza
by GarrisonPrime on Friday October 26, 2018 @01:27AM
(#18306979)
Although this new drug may not treat people any better, the effect on flu incidence through the population could be profound! This is a big deal. The question though, is whether people can be convinced to use it when it doesn’t alleviate symptoms any better or faster. If it’s more expensive, likely they won’t unless they have children, work in healthcare, or otherwise care highly about their infectivity.
Re:FDA approves new drug to treat influenza
by mmastrac on Thursday October 25, 2018 @11:06PM
(#18306441)
> a lower incidence of adverse events reported (20.7%) compared with placebo (24.6%)
Isn't that an odd result? Unless the drug is treating underlying viral issues that might not have been identified prior, it should be on par with placebo, no?
Re:FDA approves new drug to treat influenza
by lwf on Thursday October 25, 2018 @11:35PM
(#18306588)
People may be attributing symptoms of a continuing cold to the drug.
> The knowledge about taking medication or the anxiety about medication effects and illness course can cause patients to monitor symptoms in more detail, resulting in an amplified perception of benign sensations and physical symptoms.
The duration of flu symptoms, by more than 1 day (median time, 53.7 hours vs 80.2 hours; P <.0001);
The duration of fever, by nearly 1 day (median time, 24.5 hours vs 42.0 hours; P <.0001);
The length of time viruses continued to be released from the body (median time of viral shedding, 24.0 hours vs 96.0 hours; P <.0001); and
The levels of virus in the nose and throat from 24 hours through 120 hours.
Relative to oseltamivir, baloxavir treatment resulted in similar median time to alleviation of symptoms (median, 53.5 hours for baloxavir vs 53.8 hours for oseltamivir; P = .7560) and similar time to resolution of fever reduction (median, 24.4 hours vs 24.0 hours; P = .9225), respectively.
However, baloxavir treatment was associated with significantly reduced viral shedding duration (24.0 hours vs 72.0 hours; P < .0001) and significantly lower levels of virus in the nose and throat at 24 hours and 72 hours.
"It is unclear why the time to alleviation of symptoms was similar in the baloxavir group and the oseltamivir group even though baloxavir showed greater antiviral activity," the authors write. "The findings suggest that the symptom benefit of antiviral agents may have a ceiling in self-limited influenza illness in adults, perhaps because viral replication levels are decreasing by the time of presentation and illness pathogenesis is linked to host proinflammatory responses."
Overall, baloxavir was well-tolerated and had a lower incidence of adverse events reported (20.7%) compared with placebo (24.6%) or oseltamivir (24.8%). The most common adverse events were diarrhea (3%), bronchitis (2.6%), nausea (1.3%), and sinusitis (1.1%).
"The antiviral effects that were observed with baloxavir in patients with uncomplicated influenza provide encouragement with respect to its potential value in treating complicated or severe influenza infections," the authors write.