title: Colitis associated with clindamycin therapy.
abstract: Clindamycin (7-chloro-7-deoxylincomycin) may induce mild or severe colitis. In 28 months, clindamycin-associated diarrhea was encountered in 8 patients who had received oral therapy. Severe, acute colitis was seen in 4 older patients, 3 of whom had acute pseudomembranous colitis and one who had an adynamic ileus mimicking an acute abdomen. Mild colitis with protracted diarrhea occurred in 4 younger patients who had mild, nonspecific inflammation in the rectum which responded to symptomatic treatment. The mechanism and true incidence of diarrhea as a sequel of clindamycin therapy are unknown. In all 8 patients, the use of clindamycin was arbitrary. Because of potentially serious gastrointestinal disturbance, including acute pseudomembranous colitis, clindamycin should be reserved for anaerobic and other serious infections.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002981:Clindamycin