To evaluate the effectiveness of pharmaceutical services of direct to patients (DTP) sale pharmacy, taking the out-hospital pharmacy service of hypothyroidism caused by camrelizumab as an example.

The electronic drug records of patients who received camrelizumab (the medicine was purchased from 3 stores under the Gaoji Suxiang Specialty Pharmacy in Hefei from July 1, 2019 to July 31, 2021) were collected and their medical history information and pharmacy service data provided by DTP pharmacists were recorded. The occurrence, intervention measures, and outcomes of camrelizumab-related hypothyroidism, as well as the patient′s compliance to the intervention were analyzed descriptively.

A total of 489 patients were entered in the analysis, including 341 males and 148 females, aged (61±12) years with an range from 18 to 75 years. The drug was used for lung cancer in 129 patients, esophageal cancer in 112 patients, liver cancer in 60 patients, nasopharyngeal carcinoma in 8 patients, lymphoma in 4 patients, and other tumors beyond indications in 176 patients. The median treatment time of camrelizumab in these patients was 4 months, ranging from 1 to 24 months. Camrelizumab was used in monotherapy in 129 patients, in combination with chemotherapy in 156 patients, in combination with targeted drugs in 97 patients, in combination with both chemotherapy and targeted drugs in 83 patients, and in combination with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 4 patients; the additional treatment plans were unknown in 20 patients. Among the 489 patients, 16 patients experienced hypothyroidism, with an incidence of 3.3%, of which 6 were actively identified by pharmacists in DTP pharmacy. All 16 cases of hypothyroidism were judged to be associated with camrelizumab by the Naranjo causality evaluation method, and the severity was grade 2 in 15 cases and grade 1 in 1 case. The patient with grade 1 hypothyroidism did not receive medical intervention; camrelizumab was stopped due to disease progression, which resulted in an improvement in hypothyroidism. All 15 patients with grade 2 hypothyroidism received treatment with levothyroxine sodium. In the following 1 week, patient compliance was good, average, and poor in 3, 8, and 5 cases, respectively. Pharmacists provided corresponding interventions based on the main items that affected patient compliance. As of the end of this study, among the 15 patients with grade 2 hypothyroidism, the thyroid function turned normal in 4 patients (including 1 who stopped levothyroxine sodium due to arrhythmia), was improved in 2 patients, and had persistent condition in 9 patients.

Out-hospital pharmaceutical services provided by pharmacists in DTP pharmacy helps to ensure patient compliance and safe medication.

Hypothyroidism; Pharmaceutical services; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Camrelizumab; Direct to patient sale pharmacy