A case of rhabdomyolysis with fatal outcome after a treatment with levofloxacin

• Published in: European journal of clinical pharmacology 2003-12, Vol.59 (10), p.779-780
• Main Authors: PETITJEANS, Fabrice, NADAUD, Julien, PEREZ, Jean Paul, DEBIEN, Bruno, OLIVE, Frederic, VILLEVIEILLE, Thierry, PATS, Bruno
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Anti-Infective Agents - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Fatal Outcome; Female; Humans; Levofloxacin; Medical sciences; Ofloxacin - adverse effects; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rhabdomyolysis - chemically induced; Toxicity: nervous system and muscle
• ISSN: 0031-6970; 1432-1041
• DOI: 10.1007/s00228-003-0688-x

Fluoroquinolones are known to cause rhabdomyolysis. Levofloxacin is a recent fluoroquinolone and its muscular toxicity is not well documented. We describe the case of a 77-year-old female patient, who presented with an acute rhabdomyolysis after treatment with levofloxacin. She had a background of serious cardio-pulmonary disease. She received an oral ambulatory treatment with levofloxacin for pulmonary infection. After 6 days, she presented with severe rhabdomyolysis, resulting in complete anuria with hyperkalaemia, complicated with acute liver cytolysis and respiratory failure. The treatment was a daily repeated haemodialysis. She presented with a fatal myocardial infarction 13 days after admission. The medical history inclines us to strongly suspect levofloxacin as the cause of this severe adverse drug reaction. We also reviewed 27 other suspect cases reported in the database provided by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Drug Monitoring (Uppsala, Sweden). We conclude that rhabdomyolysis can be a rare, severe adverse effect of levofloxacin, as well as the other fluoroquinolones.