Pseudomembranous colitis associated with antibiotic therapy - an emerging entity.
Two cases of pseudomembranous colitis are presented. The first patient had been treated with novobiocin-tetracycline and penicillin, and two weeks later developed severe fulminating diarrhea with ascites and bilateral pleural effusions which did not respond to intravenous ACTH. Subsequently she underwent subtotal colectomy and made a rapid and complete recovery. The second patient developed severe diarrhea two weeks after a 10-day course of clindamycin. She was treated with intravenous ACTH, oral Lactobacillus and a fecal enema and made a complete recovery.These cases reconfirm the importance of antibiotics as etiologic agents in this disease. They also stress the classic sigmoidoscopic and histologic findings that should facilitate prompt and rapid diagnosis.
D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001201:Ascites / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D004733:Enema; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus; D008875:Middle Aged; D009675:Novobiocin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010406:Penicillins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D010406:Penicillins; D009675:Novobiocin; D002981:Clindamycin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013752:Tetracycline