Clarithromycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia.

Abstract

Clarithromycin (CAM) has been widely used for the treatment of respiratory infection. Macrolides are generally well tolerated and their adverse reactions are rare. An 80-year-old woman with nontuberculous mycobacterium infection was treated with combined chemotherapy, including isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol. She developed a fever and peripheral blood eosinophilia, and new subpleural consolidations were observed on chest radiography three days after add-on therapy with CAM. The symptoms and clinical findings improved with the withdrawal of CAM. Histopathologic examinations confirmed the diagnosis of eosinophilic pneumonia. This is the first report of CAM-induced eosinophilic pneumonia.

• Authors: Hiroshi Ohnishi, Masahiro Abe, Akihito Yokoyama, Hironobu Hamada, Ryoji Ito, Takeru Hirayama, Kazutaka Nishimura, Jitsuo Higaki
• Journal: Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) (Intern Med) Vol. 43 Issue 3 Pg. 231-5 (Mar 2004) ISSN: 0918-2918 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 15098607 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Clarithromycin

Topics

• Aged
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Clarithromycin (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Eosinophils (physiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Lymphocyte Activation
• Mycobacterium Infections (drug therapy)
• Pulmonary Eosinophilia (chemically induced, diagnostic imaging)
• Radiography