Overview
The safety profile of certain drugs warrants regular laboratory testing to monitor the development of adverse events, such as hepatotoxicity. Laboratory data is typically available as structured data in electronic health records (EHRs) and has the potential to be leveraged to study real-world drug safety.
This study explores the use of EHRs to monitor liver function tests (LFTs) in patients with breast cancer treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors across the UK, Germany, and Japan. By examining the frequency of LFTs, which are crucial for detecting hepatotoxicity, the study aims to establish the reliability of EHR data in tracking drug safety. Researchers analyzed data from women who began CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment on or after January 1, 2017, focusing on those with at least one LFT recorded in the four weeks before starting treatment.
Why this matters
This research highlights the feasibility of using EHR-derived data to track laboratory tests, with high LFT rates observed in the UK and Japan, and a declining trend in Germany over 12 weeks. The study underscores the potential of EHRs to enhance drug safety surveillance, providing a scalable method for real-time monitoring of adverse events, improving patient outcomes and healthcare practices globally.