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Assimon MM, Pun PH, Wang L, Al-Khatib SM, Brookhart MA, Weber DJ, Winkelmayer WC, Flythe JE. Azithromycin use increases the risk of sudden cardiac death in patients with hemodialysis-dependent kidney failure. Kidney Int 2022; 102:894-903. [PMID: 35752324 PMCID: PMC9509424 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Azithromycin is an antibiotic with QT-prolonging potential commonly prescribed to individuals receiving hemodialysis. Hemodialysis patients have a high prevalence of clinical conditions, such as structural heart disease, that can enhance the pro-arrhythmic effects azithromycin, but were excluded from prior investigations evaluating the cardiac safety of azithromycin. Using data from the United States Renal Data System (2007-2017), we conducted two cohort studies to examine the cardiac safety of azithromycin relative to amoxicillin-based antibiotics (amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) and levofloxacin (a fluoroquinolone antibiotic known to prolong the QT-interval) in the hemodialysis population. The primary outcome was five-day sudden cardiac death. Using inverse probability of treatment weighted survival models, we estimated hazard ratios, risk differences, and 95% confidence intervals. The azithromycin vs. amoxicillin-based antibiotic cohort included 282,899 patients and 725,431 treatment episodes (381,306 azithromycin and 344,125 amoxicillin-based episodes). Azithromycin vs. amoxicillin-based antibiotic treatment was associated with higher relative and absolute risks of sudden cardiac death, weighted hazard ratio of 1.70 (95% Confidence Interval, 1.36 to 2.11) and weighted risk difference per 100,000 treatment episodes of 25.0 (15.5 to 36.5). The azithromycin vs. levofloxacin cohort included 245,143 patients and 554,557 treatment episodes (387,382 azithromycin and 167,175 levofloxacin episodes). Azithromycin vs. levofloxacin treatment was associated with lower relative and absolute risks of sudden cardiac death, weighted hazard ratio of 0.79 (0.64 to 0.96) and weighted risk difference per 100,000 treatment episodes of -18.9 (-35.5 to -3.8). Thus, when selecting among azithromycin, levofloxacin, and amoxicillin-based antibiotics, clinicians should weigh the relative antimicrobial benefits of these drugs against their potential cardiac risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalene M Assimon
- University of North Carolina Kidney Center, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Patrick H Pun
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lily Wang
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sana M Al-Khatib
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - M Alan Brookhart
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - David J Weber
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Wolfgang C Winkelmayer
- Selzman Institute for Kidney Health, Section of Nephrology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer E Flythe
- University of North Carolina Kidney Center, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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