Drug under test: influenza – Relenza in daily practice

Abstract.

A total of 5–7 million cases of the disease, 4.5 million medical certificates, 25,000 admissions to hospital, 15,000 mortalities and direct and indirect costs amounting to several billions – that is the outcome of a "normal" influenza season (data provided by the Influenza Study Group, AGI, of Germany on the 1998/99 season). With zanamivir (Relenza), a selective inhibitor of the influenza-specific neuraminidase, a pharmaceutical product against influenza A and B is now available in Germany for the very first time. In clinical studies, zanamivir reduced not only the duration of the illness and the severity of symptoms, but also the rate of complications and the need for antibiotics. Under practice conditions, the efficacy and tolerability of the anti-influenza product were studied during the 1999/2000 influenza season. In a large observational study in over 1,900 patients, including many patients at risk of asthma and/or chronic obstructive bronchitis, zanamivir (Relenza) improved the symptoms quickly and reliably, and was tolerated very well. The diagnosis of influenza was established clinically to discriminate the disease from colds.