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baricitinib Side Effects

Also known as: Olumiant

Analysis of 9,259 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2012 to 2025.

Total Reports

9,259

Death-Related

866

9.4% of reports

Hospitalizations

3,011

32.5% of reports

Top Indication

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DRUG INEFFECTIVE
709
OFF LABEL USE
655
COVID-19
439
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
352
PULMONARY EMBOLISM
294
PNEUMONIA
264
HEADACHE
253
HERPES ZOSTER
237
DEATH
235
NAUSEA
226
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS
213
FATIGUE
183
ARTHRALGIA
179
WEIGHT INCREASED
179
THERAPY INTERRUPTED
178
DYSPNOEA
174
URINARY TRACT INFECTION
174
PAIN
173
DIARRHOEA
165
RASH
156

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 5,641 (67%)
Male 2,741 (33%)
Unknown 1

Age Distribution

0-17 184 (3%)
18-44 1,111 (17%)
45-64 2,625 (40%)
65-74 1,623 (25%)
75+ 1,022 (16%)

Reporting Trend by Year

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 866 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 229
COVID-19 80
OFF LABEL USE 70
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 48
CARDIAC ARREST 45
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 42
COVID-19 PNEUMONIA 41
SEPSIS 41
PULMONARY EMBOLISM 39
MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME 34
PNEUMONIA 33
SEPTIC SHOCK 28
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 27
ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME 25
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 24
CARDIAC FAILURE 22
ACUTE RESPIRATORY FAILURE 21
ISCHAEMIC STROKE 21
BRONCHOPULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS 20
DYSPNOEA 20

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 3,011 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
OFF LABEL USE 256
COVID-19 227
PNEUMONIA 185
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 181
PULMONARY EMBOLISM 154
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 143
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS 109
DYSPNOEA 99
HERPES ZOSTER 88
PYREXIA 83
ARTHRALGIA 77
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 75
ARTHRITIS 73
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 72
FALL 71
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 70
VOMITING 69
COVID-19 PNEUMONIA 65
SEPSIS 63
ANAEMIA 62

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About baricitinib Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 9,259 voluntary reports linked to baricitinib and its brand equivalents (Olumiant), spanning 2012 through 2025. Of those, 866 (9.4%) listed death as an outcome and 3,011 (32.5%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 67% were female and 33% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 2,625 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 709 submissions, followed by off label use and covid-19.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.