Antibiotic-associated colitis: a retrospective study of fifteen cases.
Fifteen cases of antibiotic-associated colitis were reviewed in a retrospective study of all the cases seen in a general hospital in the period 1970--7. Nine of these cases were diagnosed as pseudomembranous colitis. This was found mostly in patients over 65 years of age, where it resulted in severe illness with 70% mortality. The antibiotics involved included ampicillin, penicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin and co-trimoxazole (Septrin). Pseudomembranous colitis is a serious hazard in the elderly and may be caused by a wide range of antibiotics in common use.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000009:adverse effects; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000009:adverse effects; D004739:England; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002981:Clindamycin; D004917:Erythromycin; D000667:Ampicillin; D010404:Penicillin V