Efficacy of Arbidol in the prevention of virus-induced exacerbations of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Aim. To assess the efficacy and safety of Arbidol in the influenza and ARVI preventing in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and methods. This study was an open label and prospective during epidemic period of 2016-2017 years. 100 outpatients aged 18 to 80 years with verified asthma and/or COPD, were enrolled to therapy group, and received oral umifenovir 200 mg once daily for 14 days and then 200 mg twice a week for 3 weeks.The medical records data for the same epidemic period of 2016-2017 seasons of the same patients during witch they received no prophylaxis was taken as a control. The data analysis was made by applying parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. Results and discussion. Seasonal and post-exposure prophylaxis using umifenovir was associated with 2.6-times reduction in influenza and ARVI morbidity compared to control. In diseased patients (ARVI) of the therapy group the number of patients with mild illness prevailed (62.2%) and was significantly differed from control (37.1%). Severity of catarrhal symptoms and intoxication, was reduced with umifenovir prophylaxis course and were mild in 67.6% and 67.6% respectively of therapy group compared with 43.3% and 46.4% of control. Influenza and ARVI complications were only detected in control group (4 cases). The percentage of patients with incidents of underlying disease exacerbation was 42% in therapy group and 93% in control group. Also, exacerbation in the therapy group were mild in 59.5% and 34.4% in control group, while moderate exacerbation prevailed in control group and was in 59.1% of cases with was significantly higher then in therapy group (39.3%). Results in more frequent use of adjuvant in the control group compared with the therapy group (81.7% and 59.5% respectively). Patients of control group had a higher risk of hospitalizations due to underlying disease aggravation (11.8%), compared with therapy group (9.5%) but these differences were not significant. Coclusion. Seasonal and post-exposure prophylaxis with Arbidol reduce influenza and ARVI morbidity in patients with asthma and COPD during epidemic period, frequency and severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease aggravations resulting in decrease in the number of hospitalizations. Also, prophylaxis with Arbidol reduced the severity of catarrhal symptoms and intoxication.