Pancytopenia due to linezolid treatment

Abstract

Antibiotic-resistant infections constitute a significant portion of severe childhood infections. A gradually increasing resistance and treatment difficulty are observed in infections caused by enterococci, staphylococci and pneumococci. Linezolid is one of the new antibiotics which has recently been introduced for clinical use with gram positive efficiency. In this article, a pediatric patient with vancomycin-resistant enterococcus infection who developed reversible bone marrow supression related with use of linesolid was presented. A shunt was inserted in a ten-month old female patient who had been operated at the age of one month because of meningomyelocele and who had developed hydrocephalus. Linezolid and meropenem treatment was started when vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase positive Escherichia coli grew in cerebrospinal fluid culture. In the second week of treatment, cerebrospinal fluid findings improved. However, bone marrow supression was observed. Linezolid treatment was discontinued. In the follow-up, the blood cell counts returned to normal levels. (Turk Pediatri Ars 2015; 50: 185-8)

"Myelosuppression and Other Adverse Reactions Caused by Linezolid"

“…and neuropathy. Table 1 shows other frequent reactions in patients who use the antibiotic linezolid for a long time and at a high dose [18][19][20].…”

“…Serotonin syndrome, also known as serotonin toxicity, is caused by excessive levels of circulating serotonin in the central and peripheral nervous system. The syndrome is characterized by mental status changes, autonomic hyperactivity, and neuromuscular abnormalities that can range in severity from negligible to fatal [20].…”

“…serotonin syndrome Serotonin syndrome, also known as serotonin toxicity, is caused by excessive levels of circulating serotonin in the central and peripheral nervous system. The syndrome is characterized by mental status changes, autonomic hyperactivity, and neuromuscular abnormalities that can range in severity from negligible to fatal [20]. Mild serotonin toxicity may manifest as tachycardia, chills, sweating, mydriasis, tremors, myoclonus, restlessness or inability to sit still, or hyperreflexia.…”