Background There are different treatment options for
ocular toxoplasmosis (OT). "Classic"
therapy consists of
pyrimethamine,
sulfadiazine and
folinic acid combined with systemic
steroids and is still widely used. However, potentially severe side effects of this
therapy have been reported. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the incidence and types of
adverse drug reactions in patients treated for OT. Clinical management of each
adverse drug reaction was assessed. Patients and Methods In this retrospective analysis, we reviewed data of patients with OT, who were consecutively examined between December 2011 and December 2015 at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich. Results In total, 49 patients had at least one episode of active OT. In 54 (83.0 %) of 65 treated episodes, the classic regimen was used. Of the 37 patients who received classic treatment, 9 (24.3 %) developed at least one
adverse drug reaction which led to drug discontinuation, including elevated
creatinine (5.4 %), elevated liver
enzymes (5.4 %),
vomiting (5.4 %),
rash (5.4 %) and facial swelling (2.7 %). In 5 patients, treatment was switched to another drug, while in the other 4 patients,
therapy was stopped. In these 9 patients,
inflammation was well controlled 8 weeks after onset of
therapy. No patient suffered from severe side effects, such as potentially life-threatening
allergic reactions or
pancytopenia. Conclusions In OT patients who were treated with classic
therapy,
adverse drug reactions are common. Therefore, clinical and laboratory monitoring is mandatory.
Adverse drug reactions may require interdisciplinary management.