Azithromycin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in an Elderly Patient

MD. Hasan J and Ahmad J

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Square Hospitals Ltd., Bangladesh
Department of Internal Medicine and ICU, Square Hospitals Ltd., Bangladesh

^*Correspondance to: MD. Jahidul Hasan 

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Abstract:

Background: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a condition where renal function is deteriorated and serum creatinine level is increased. Drug-induced AKI is a common phenomenon of Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR), but azithromycin-induced AKI is a rare event.
Case Report: A 76-year elderly patient came to our hospital with the history of breathing difficulty with wheezing, tightness of the chest and low grade fever. He was admitted in the general Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On the admission day, his urine output was normal with normal serum creatinine level, but there was no history of defecation in the last 48 hrs before admission. On the second day of ICU-admission, as a prokinetic agent, a single dose of injection azithromycin (1 g, intravenously) was administered to him. On the following day, his serum creatinine level was raised sharply (2.1 mg/dL) and renal output reduced to 27 mL/hr. Azithromycin was suspected for that event and stopped immediately. On the next day, his serum creatinine level was reduced remarkable (1.2 mg/ dL) and urine output was normalized (45 mL/hr).
Conclusion: Nephrotoxic drugs generally contribute in developing AKI but to date, azithromycin is considered as a safe drug. However, azithromycin-induced AKI is an unusual event and caution should be taken in use.

Keywords:

Acute kidney injury; Azithromycin; Nephrotoxic drugs

Cite the Article:

MD. Hasan J, Ahmad J. AzithromycinInduced Acute Kidney Injury in an Elderly Patient. Clin Case Rep Int. 2019; 3: 1095.