Suspected Oseltamivir-induced bradycardia in a pediatric patient: A case report from King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In recent years, influenza infection in the pediatric population has been a widescale issue that physicians face during the winter season. Medications used to treat and prevent such infections include Oseltamivir, an anti-viral neuraminidase inhibitor developed for both influenzas A and B. The most commonly well-known and manifesting adverse effects are nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal upset. There is paucity of reports on other potential serious side effects of Oseltamivir in the pediatric population. One of the rarely reported adverse reactions in adult population is sinus bradycardia. This case reports the development of sinus bradycardia in a pediatric patient after administration of Oseltamivir. The previously healthy five-year-old patient was started on Oseltamivir after a positive polymerase chain reaction for influenza. The patient developed sinus bradycardia but remained hemodynamically stable. This finding led to consultations and investigations to determine the cause of bradycardia. It is pivotal to increase the awareness of the potential link between Oseltamivir and bradycardia in pediatric and adult populations to avoid unnecessary clinical investigations and to enhance physician decisionmaking. A prospective cohort study on Oseltamivir is needed for better understanding of its adverse effects in the pediatric population.

Keywords

• Pediatrics
• Bradycardia
• Oseltamvir
• Influenza