Transient left bundle branch block associated with favipiravir treatment for coronavirus infection
Siralp Bostan1, Gizem Vural2, Dilara Ecren Alaeddinoğlu2
1Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
This study reports a rare case of cardiac adverse effects potentially linked to favipiravir, an antiviral drug. Specifically, it details a case where favipiravir may have induced left bundle branch block (LBBB).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects multiple organs, including the heart.
- Favipiravir, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, was investigated for COVID-19 treatment.
- While generally safe, favipiravir can rarely cause cardiac adverse effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a potential novel cardiac adverse effect of favipiravir.
- To document a case of left bundle branch block (LBBB) in a patient treated with favipiravir.
Main Methods:
- Case report.
- Review of patient's clinical presentation, treatment, and cardiac monitoring.
- Literature search for previous reports of favipiravir-induced cardiac adverse events.
Main Results:
- The patient developed left bundle branch block (LBBB) during favipiravir treatment.
- To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of favipiravir potentially causing LBBB.
- No other cardiac adverse effects were definitively attributed to favipiravir in this case.
Conclusions:
- Favipiravir, despite its general safety profile, may be associated with rare cardiac adverse events like LBBB.
- Further investigation is warranted to understand the potential cardiotoxicity of favipiravir.
- Clinicians should remain vigilant for cardiac side effects in patients receiving favipiravir.
Abstract:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may lead to a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to symptomatic by having targets on various tissues such as lung parenchyma and myocardium (Shahrbaf et al., Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets. 21(2):88-90, 2021). As an RNA-dependent RNApolymerase inhibitor, favipiravir has been proposed as a treatment in clinical studies done during the pandemic period (Furuta et al., Antiviral Res. 100(2):446-454, 2013). Although favipiravir is generally a safe medication, it may rarely cause cardiac adverse effects (Shahrbaf et al., Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets. 21(2):88-90, 2021). To the best of our knowledge, favipiravir has not been reported to cause left bundle branch block (LBBB).
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