Rifampicin induced acute thrombocytopenia with skin rashes:  a case report

Loknath B.; Venkateswara Babu

doi:10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20233210

Authors

Loknath B. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India
Venkateswara Babu Department of Respiratory Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20233210

Keywords:

Tuberculosis, Thrombocytopenia, Rifampicin, Drug induced, Skin rashes, Anti-tuberculous therapy

Abstract

Rifampicin is an essential component of the treatment regimen for tuberculosis. Extensive clinical experience has shown that the drug has mild adverse effect, but on rare occasions, it can cause life threatening adverse reactions like thrombocytopenia. Blajchman et al first described rifampicin-induced thrombocytopenia in 1970. Since then, almost 40 cases have been documented in the literature and a recent review by Cooper and Ghanima included rifampicin in the group of not uncommon drugs that cause immune-mediated thrombocytopenia. Diagnosis of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia is by identifying clinical symptoms and a careful evaluation of the suspected causative drug. The physician treating tuberculosis patients must be aware of this rare life-threatening complication, when we detected early, is completely reversible.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Lloyd N Friedman. Chemotherapeutic Agents for Mycobacterial infections. In: Tuberculosis: Current concepts and treatment. 2nd edn; CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, Florida. 2001;301-32.

George JN, Raskob GE, Shah SR. Drug-induced thrombo¬cytopenia: a systematic review of published case reports. Ann Intern Med. 1998;129(11):886-90.

Blajchman MA, Lowry RC, Pettit JE, Straling P. Rifampicin induced immune thrombocytopenia. BMJ. 1970;3(5713):24-6.

Chong BH, Philip YC, Levon K, Jose P. Drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2013;27(3):521-40.

Shinde KM, Pore SM, Bapat TR. Adverse reactions to first-line anti tuberculous agents in hospitalized patients: pattern, cau¬sality, severity and risk factors. Indian J Med Spec. 2013;4:1-4.

Poole G, Stradling P, Worlledge S. Potentially serious side effects of high-dose twice-weekly rifampicin. Br Med J. 1971;3(5770):343-7.

Marcus AJ. In: The Cecil Text book of Medicine, 16th edn: W.B.Saunders Co., Philadelphia. 1982;983.

Pereira J, Hidalgo P, Ocqueteau M, Blacutt M, Marchesse M, Nien Y et al. Glycoprotein Ib / IX complex is the target in rifampicin induced immune thrombocytopenia. Br J Haematol. 2000;110:904-10.

Agrawal A. Do not miss rifampicin-induced thrombocytopenic purpura. BMJ Case Rep. 2012;2012:bcr1220115282.

Sister MA, Allan WGL, Horsfall PAL, Jenkins PK, Hung-Yan W, Girling D et al. Adverse reactions to daily and intermittent regimens for pulmonary tuberculosis in Hong Kong. BMJ. 1971;1(5803):765.