al-Hedaithy M A, Noreddin A M
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ann Pharmacother. 1996 Jun;30(6):612-4. doi: 10.1177/106002809603000609.
To report a life-threatening anaphylactoid reaction to oral pefloxacin in a patient with AIDS and to review the pertinent literature.
A 32-year-old woman with AIDS developed an anaphylactoid reaction following a second exposure to oral pefloxacin. This reaction was characterized by severe hypotension, dizziness, itching, and fever.
Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. They are used frequently in patients with AIDS for numerous indications, including treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex. Pefloxacin, a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone, was introduced in France in 1985. Since then, many patients with AIDS have been treated with this drug. Several cases of anaphylactoid reactions to ciprofloxacin have been documented in patients with HIV infection. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an anaphylactoid reaction to pefloxacin in a patient with AIDS.
There is a need for continued vigilance in the reporting of adverse drug reactions in patients with AIDS, especially with new drug. Also, care must be taken in introducing drugs, including fluoroquinolones, to this patient population.
