[Serious side effects of frequently used antibiotics in childhood: biliary sludge or stones induced by ceftriaxone and thrombocytopenia induced by co-trimoxazole].
Two patients, a girl and a boy, both aged 8.5 years, presented with serious side effects caused by ceftriaxone and co-trimoxazole, respectively. The first patientwas treated with ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg/day with a body weight of 35.6 kg) on suspicion of a neuroborreliosis, but developed an acute cholecystitis with cholelithiasis 3 weeks after the antibiotic had been withdrawn. He underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Ceftriaxone binds calcium in the biliary tract, forming biliary sludge or stones. The second patient developed thrombocytopenia during treatment with co-trimoxazole (58 mg/kg/day with a body weight of 25.4 kg) because of a urinary-tract infection. After discontinuation of the co-trimoxazole the thrombocytopenia resolved spontaneously. The pathophysiological mechanism involved may be either a direct toxic effect of trimethoprim or an immune-mediated reaction to sulfamethoxazole. According to current guidelines, the dosage of the drug was too high in both cases. It is important to ensure a correct dosage in children, since side effects are potentially dose-related.
Voeten
M
M
Ziekenhuis Rijnstate, Postbus 9555, 68oo TA Arnhem. voeten.m@gmail.com
Landstra
A M
AM
Maseland
M H H
MH
van Setten
P A
PA
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000601:surgery; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination