ABSTRACT
Trade names: Biaxin (Abbott); Biaxin HP; Clacine; Clarith; Klacid; Klaricid; Macladin; Veclam Indications: Various infections caused by susceptible organisms Category: Antibiotic, macrolide Half-life: 5-7 hours Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with: alprazolam, aprepitant, astemizole, atorvastatin, benzodiazepines, carbamazepine, chlordiazepoxide, cilostazol, clonazepam, clorazepate, colchicine, conivaptan, cyclosporine, dabigatran, dasatinib, diazepam, digoxin, dihydroergotamine, disopyramide, ergot alkaloids, fesoterodine, fluoxetine, flurazepam, fluvastatin, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, imatinib, ixabepilone, lapatinib, lopinavir, lorazepam, lovastatin, methylprednisolone, methysergide, midazolam, nilotinib, oxazepam, paroxetine, pimozide, pravastatin, prednisone, quazepam, repaglinide, rimonabant, rivaroxaban, sertraline, silodosin, simvastatin, solifenacin, temazepam, temsirolimus, tolvaptan, trabectedin, triazolam, warfarin, zidovudine
Skin Anaphylactoid reactions/Anaphylaxis (<1%) Baboon syndrome
(2003): Wolf R+, Dermatol Online J 9(3), 2 (with amoxicillin and omeprazole)
Exanthems Fixed eruption
(2001): Hamamoto Y+, Clin Exp Dermatol 26(1), 48 (1988): Rosina P+, Contact Dermatitis 38, 105
Henoch-Schönlein purpura (2003): Borras-Blasco J+, Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 41(5), 213
Hypersensitivity (1998): Igea JM+, Allergy 53, 107 (1998): Kruppa A+, Dermatology 196(3), 335
Phototoxicity (2002): Parkash P+, J Assoc Physicians India 50, 1192
Pruritus (1991): Poirier R, J Antimicrob Chemother 27 (Suppl A), 109
Pseudolymphoma (1995): Magro CM+, J Am Acad Dermatol 32, 419
Psoriasis (1994): Ellerin P, The Schoch Letter 44, 47 (#185) (observation)
Purpura (2006): Zink A+, Dtsch Med Wochenschr 131(40), 2217 (2003): Borras-Blasco J+, Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 41(5), 213
Pustules Rash (3%) Stevens-Johnson syndrome (<1%) Toxic epidermal necrolysis
(2007): Clayton TH+, Clin Exp Dermatol 32(6), 755 (2005): Khaldi N+, Can J Clin Pharmacol 12(3), e264
Urticaria Vasculitis
(2006): Zink A+, Dtsch Med Wochenschr 131(40), 2217 (1998): Gavura SR+, Ann Pharmacol 32, 543
Hair Alopecia
(2004): Rollot F+, Ann Pharmacother 38(12), 2074 (with colchicine)
Mucosal Dysgeusia (3%)
(2006): Dean NC+, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 50(4), 1164 (2001): Litt JZ, Beachwood, OH (personal case)
(1997): Greco S+, Ann Pharmacother 31, 1548
Oral candidiasis Parosmia Stomatitis
(1997): Greco S+, Ann Pharmacother 31, 1548 Tongue black
(1997): Greco S+, Ann Pharmacother 31, 1548 Xerostomia
(2001): McCarty JM+, Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 87(4), 327
Cardiovascular Phlebitis
(2001): De Dios Garcia-Diaz J+, Med Clin (Barc) 116(4), 133 (from intravenous administration)
QT prolongation (2006): Germanakis I+, Acta Paediatr 95(12), 1694 (2004): Abriel H+, Swiss Med Wkly 134(47-48), 685
Torsades de pointes (2003): Yamaguchi S+, Nippon Naika Gakkai Zasshi 92(1), 143 (2002): Shaffer D+, Clin Infect Dis 35(2), 197
Central Nervous System Fever
(2004): Rollot F+, Ann Pharmacother 38(12), 2074 (with colchicine)
Headache Hoigne’s syndrome
(2005): Przybylo HJ+, Paediatr Anaesth 15(8), 703 (with penicillin)
Myasthenia gravis (1996): Pijpers E+, Clin Infect Dis 22(1), 175
Serotonin syndrome (2006): Jaber BL+, Am J Med 119(4), e3 (with paroxetine)
Neuromuscular/Skeletal Arthralgia
(2003): Borras-Blasco J+, Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 41(5), 213 Rhabdomyolysis
(2007): Molden E+, Pharmacotherapy 27(4), 603 (with simvastatin)
(2004): Kahri AJ+, Ann Pharmacother 38(4), 719 (with simvastatin)
Tremor (<1%) Gastrointestinal/Hepatic
Abdominal pain (2004): Rollot F+, Ann Pharmacother 38(12), 2074
(with colchicine) Hepatotoxicity
(2006): Giannattasio A+, Ann Pharmacother 40(6), 1196 (2005): Peters TS, Toxicol Pathol 33(1), 146
Renal Nephrotoxicity
(2006): Audimoolam VK+, Nephrol Dial Transplant 21(9), 2654
Otic Tinnitus
(2003): Uzun C, J Laryngol Otol 117(12), 1006
Local Injection-site extravasation
(2001): Zimmerman T+, Clin Drug Invest 21, 527 (8%) Injection-site pain
(2001): Zimmerman T+, Clin Drug Invest 21, 527 (100%) (1996): Peck KD+, Pharm Res 13, PT6028 (9 Suppl)
Other Death
(2002): Masia M+, Arch Intern Med 162(4), 474
