Effectiveness of scheduled vital signs assessment during infliximab infusions in detecting infusion reactions: a multi-centre retrospective data review.

Purpose: To determine if scheduled vital signs monitoring is useful in the detection of infusion reactions to infliximab (IFX).

Methods: The infusion records of 35,988 IFX infusions completed in 2017 were reviewed for infusion reactions that occurred during the infusion, which were then examined further to determine how those infusion reactions were detected.

Results: Of the 90 complete infusion reaction records reviewed, no infusion reactions (0) were detected by scheduled vital signs assessment.

Conclusions: According to the infusion reaction data reviewed, scheduled vital sign assessment did not detect any infusion reactions and may not be necessary for the purpose of monitoring patients during infusions for early detection of infusion reactions. Previous research into IFX infusion reactions reviewed also concluded that scheduled vital signs assessment may not be helpful in the detection of infusion reactions and, in many cases, vital signs did not vary significantly enough from baseline to signal an infusion reaction.