Abstract

CASE REPORT: LINEZOLID THERAPY INDUCED REVERSIBLE PANCYTOPENIA

Muhammed Alfas M.*, Hasila M. M., Ananthu R. Krishnan and Dr. R. L. N. Murthy

Abstract

Linezolid is the first oxazolidinone antibiotic approved by the FDA in 2001, for the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, including multi-drug resistant Staphylococci and Enterococci. Hematological adverse events reported during linezolid therapy during prolonged treatment courses of more than 14 days resulting in anemia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia or indeed pancytopenia due to reversible myelosuppression. Here, we present a case of a 43-year-old male patient who was admitted to a tertiary care teaching hospital on the complaint of fever with chills, breathlessness and cough with expectoration further objective examinations like chest X-ray, HRCT thorax and USG abdomen are provisionally diagnosed and treated the case of as left lung abscess, sepsis with septic shock and acute kidney injury. This case was started with an injection of piperacillin and tazobactam and clindamycin also changed to linezolid 600 mg twice daily intravenously. Patient developed reversible pancytopenia perhaps due to linezolid therapy. Healthcare professionals and clinical pharmacists should monitor the blood count when treating patients with risk factors for linezolid-induced pancytopenia. The patient and caretaker should be counseled about linezolid effects and possible adverse effects and should monitor complete blood count, weekly.

Keywords: Linezolid, Oxazolidinones, thrombocytopenia, anemia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, myelosuppression, pneumonia, lung abscess, pulmonary tuberculosis, ATT.