Fatal neutropenia and thrombocytopenia associated with ticlopidine.

OBJECTIVE

To report the first case of ticlopidine-associated neutropenia resulting in sepsis and death.

CASE SUMMARY

An 83-year-old Filipino man was started on ticlopidine 250 mg bid. By the seventh week of therapy his absolute neutrophil count (ANC) had dropped to 2700 from 7600 x 10(6) cells/L. The ticlopidine was stopped. Six days later, he was admitted to the hospital. He died 18 hours later of gram-negative sepsis.

DISCUSSION

Although ticlopidine therapy was discontinued four days after the patient's ANC was 2700 x 10(6) cells/L, the ANC dropped to and remained at 0 until his death eight days later. This may be associated with the patient's decreased clearance of ticlopidine given his age and impaired renal function. This is the first reported case of moderate or severe neutropenia in a nonwhite patient and the first reported case of sepsis and death caused by ticlopidine.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals must be aware of the possibility of severe neutropenia and death caused by ticlopidine, even when the manufacturers' monitoring guidelines are followed.