Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aplastic anemia following chloramphenicol therapy in chronic ulcerative colitis

Report of a case

  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Summary and Conclusions

The case of an 18-year-old white man, suffering from chronic ulcerative colitis, is presented. Chloromycetin was one of the drugs used during the early part of the illness and is presumably the cause of aplastic anemia which was discovered postoperatively. Massive hemorrhage was the most prominent complication and apparently it was caused by the blood dyscrasia.

Rectal bleeding occurs commonly in ulcerative colitis, but massive and fatal hemorrhage is rare, occurring in 0.4 to 1.1 per cent of cases.

Chloromycetin therapy has been known to cause blood dyscrasias. In the management of chronic ulcerative colitis, where therapy is prolonged, the use of other chemotherapeutic agents, which have been proved to be more efficacious and safe, is recommended.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bacon, H. E.: Ulcerative Colitis. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott Company, 1958, p. 124.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Banks, B. M., B. I. Korelitz and L. Zetzel: The course of nonspecific ulcerative colitis: Review of twenty years’ experience and late results. Gastroenterology.32: 983, 1957.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bercovitz, Z. T.: Symposium on diseases of colon: Chloromycetin therapy of chronic ulcerative colitis — one-year study. Gastroenterology.16: 19, 1950.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cable, J. V. and J. D. Reid: Jaundice and aplastic anaemia following chloramphenicol therapy. New Zealand M. J.56: 532, 1957.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kautz, H. D. and N. de Nosaquo: Blood dyscrasias associated with chloramphenicol (chloromycetin) therapy. J.A.M.A.172: 2044, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kringelbach, J.: Aplastisk anaemi efter chloromycetinbehandling af kighoste. Ugesk. laeger.120: 913, 1958.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Louwette, R. and A. Lambrechts: La toxicite sanguine du chloramphenicol. Rev. méd. Liége.12: 10, 1957.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Madsen, N. O.: Anaemia aplastica frem-kaldt af chloramphenicol. Ugesk. laeger.119: 489, 1957.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ozer, F. L., W. E. Traux and W. C. Levin: Erythroid hypoplasia associated with chloramphenicol therapy. Blood.16: 997, 1960.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Page, R. C. and Z. Bercovitz: Prothrombin and fibrinogen studies in chronic ulcerative colitis. Am. J. Digest. Dis.9: 419, 1942.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Parke-Davis Sued Again on Charges Its Drug Caused Death of Youth. The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, January 5, 1961.

  12. Perillie, P. E. and R. Nagler: Development of pernicious anemia in a young patient with chronic ulcerative colitis: Report of a case. New England J. Med.261: 1175, 1959.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Poulton, E. M.: Thrombocytopenic purpura during chloramphenicol therapy. Brit. M. J.2: 106, 1955.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Rankin, F. W., J. A. Bargen and L. A. Buie: The Colon, Rectum and Anus. Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Company, 1932, p. 237.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Ricketts, W. E. and W. L. Palmer: Complications of chronic non-specific ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology.7: 55, 1946.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Salamone, L.: Sull’emopatia da CAF. Riforma med.71: 494, 1957.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Shaw, R. G. and J. A. McLean: Chloramphenicol and aplastic anaemia. Australia M. J.1: 352, 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Sloan, W. P., Jr., J. A. Bargen and R. P. Gage: Symposium on diseases of colon: Life histories of patients with chronic ulcerative colitis: Review of 2,000 cases. Gastroenterology.16: 25, 1950.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Sollmann, Torald H.: A Manual of Pharmacology and Its Applications to Therapeutics and Toxicology. Ed. 8, Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Company, 1957, p. 800.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Visconti, P.: Sualla mielosi aplastica globale da cloramfenicolo: Contributo clinico. Riforma med.70: 1043, 1956.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Welch, H., C. N. Lewis, H. I. Weinstein and B. B. Boeckman: Severe reactions to antibiotics: A nationwide survey. Antibiotics & Chemother.4: 800, 1957.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. From the Department of Proctologic Surgery, Temple University Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Teodoro P. Nuguid M.D. & Harry E. Bacon M.D.

Authors
  1. Teodoro P. Nuguid M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Harry E. Bacon M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Read at the meeting of the Pennsylvania Proctologic Society, March 1, 1961.

About this article

Cite this article

Nuguid, T.P., Bacon, H.E. Aplastic anemia following chloramphenicol therapy in chronic ulcerative colitis. Dis Colon Rectum 4, 269–274 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02616604

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02616604

Keywords

Search

Navigation