Life-threatening haematuria caused by vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia

Bleeding Complications in Vancomycin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Real-world Postmarketing Pharmacovigilance Analysis

PURPOSE

Vancomycin and linezolid are first-line drugs used for the prophylaxis and treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Vancomycin is well known as the best alternative drug when linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia occurs. However, several cases with vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia, especially with bleeding complications, have been reported recently, which has attracted attention. The objective of this study is to assess the potential relevance between vancomycin and bleeding complications in thrombocytopenia.

METHODS

This is a real-world pharmacovigilance study conducted in October 2022 using the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. We performed a disproportional analysis to assess the risk of bleeding complications in vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia by calculating reporting odds ratios (RORs) and information components (ICs), with a weak signal defined as a lower limit of the IC 95% CI of 0 to 1.5, a middle signal defined as a lower limit of the IC 95% CI of 1.5 to 3.0, and a strong signal defined as a lower limit of the IC 95% CI of >3.0.

FINDINGS

There were 21,854 cases in the FAERS database that listed vancomycin as a suspected drug from quarter 1 of 2004 to quarter 2 of 2022. There were 800 cases of vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia and 125 cases of bleeding complications in vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia. Teicoplanin, tigecycline, and vancomycin (3 middle signals) were sequentially less associated with thrombocytopenia than linezolid (strong signal). However, bleeding complications in thrombocytopenia were significant associated with vancomycin (ROR = 9.641; 95% CI, 8.105-11.468; IC = 3.184; 95% CI, 2.929-3.440 [middle signal]), followed by linezolid (ROR = 9.350; 95% CI, 7.318-11.947; IC = 3.106; 95% CI, 2.745-3.466 [middle signal]), teicoplanin (ROR = 6.399; 95% CI, 2.869-14.272; IC = 2.059; 95% CI, 0.881-3.283 [weak signal]), and daptomycin (ROR = 2.784; 95% CI, 1.496-5.180; IC = 1.287; 95% CI, 0.374-2.201 [weak signal]). Tigecycline and daptomycin were the least likely anti-MRSA drug to cause thrombocytopenia (middle signal and weak signal, respectively) and bleeding complications in thrombocytopenia (no signal and weak signal, respectively). Middle signals of bleeding complication in vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia were found in all group except those <45 to ≥80 years of age (weak signal).

IMPLICATIONS

Bleeding complications in thrombocytopenia were significantly associated with vancomycin use, and the risk was highest among all the anti-MRSA drugs. Physicians should be aware of this possible serious adverse reaction.

Vancomycin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in a 35-Year-Old Female With Pneumonia: A Case Report

Vancomycin is one of the most empirically used antibiotics in severely ill patients in hospitalized settings. Vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia (VITP) is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication that requires immediate recognition. Platelet destruction is largely immune-mediated and results in a precipitous drop in the platelet count over a short period of time. Most cases of VITP are drug-dependent, as discontinuation of the offending agent frequently results in a timely return to baseline to pre-exposure platelet levels. Here, we present a case of severe vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia in a 35-year-old female with a history of multiple comorbidities who presented with pneumonia. She was undergoing treatment with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam and developed thrombocytopenia within 24 hours of hospitalization. The patient was on a loading dose of 1250 mg intravenous vancomycin every 24 hours and piperacillin-tazobactam 3.375 g intravenously every six hours for presumed community-acquired pneumonia. Her other medications included ondansetron, bupropion, sertraline, tamsulosin, pantoprazole, ergocalciferol, and insulin glargine. Additionally, the patient was placed on a prophylactic dose of enoxaparin while in-patient. The patient's thrombocytopenia resolved with discontinuation of vancomycin. Clinicians should be well-informed about which medications can trigger thrombocytopenia whenever starting a medication in such cases.

Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Rare Adverse Event of Vancomycin Therapy

Vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, is widely used for Gram-positive cocci or bacilli bacteria-induced serious infections. Although considered safe and effective, it still causes adverse events. Vancomycin-induced immune thrombocytopenia is a rarely reported adverse event, manifesting from asymptomatic thrombocytopenia to life-threatening bleeding. We underline a case of a 56-year-old male with a diabetic foot with an infected exudating purulent ulcer. He experienced a significant drop in platelet count after commencing vancomycin, and discontinuing vancomycin resulted in improved platelet count with positive vancomycin-induced anti-platelet antibodies. After ruling out other possible causes of thrombocytopenia, a presumptive diagnosis of vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia was made.

Vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia in endocarditis: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Thrombocytopenia is a serious complication in the medical practice of numerous drugs. Vancomycin is frequently used for the prophylaxis and treatment of suspected or identified methicillin-resistant positive infections. Several cases with vancomycin-induced thrombocytopenia (VIT) have been reported. However, these have rarely been extensively reviewed. The present report describes a case of VIT in endocarditis, and reviews all VIT cases reported in the literature.

CASE SUMMARY

A 26-year-old male diagnosed with infective endocarditis was admitted. The patient was treated with multiple drugs, including vancomycin, which was initially intravenously given at 1000 mg every 12 h and subsequently at 500 mg every 8 h on day 3. On day 11, the platelet count decreased to 51 × 10⁹/L, vancomycin was switched to 500 mg every 12 h, and platelet transfusion was given. On day 17, the platelet count dropped to 27 × 10⁹/L, and platelet transfusion was administered again. On day 23, vancomycin was adjusted to 500 mg every 8 h as the trough concentration dropped to the minimum effective concentration. On day 33, the platelet count declined to approximately 40 × 10⁹/L. After platelet transfusion, the platelet count rebounded to 90 × 10⁹/L on day 35 but dropped again to 42 × 10⁹/L on day 43. Based on the time-to-platelet count curve and Naranjo’s Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale score, VIT was suspected. After vancomycin discontinuation and platelet transfusion, the platelet count gradually normalized.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of VIT can be achieved through the time-to-platelet count curve and Naranjo’s Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale score. The platelet count cannot be normalized simply by platelet transfusion alone, and vancomycin discontinuation is essential.

Vancomycin Induced Thrombocytopenia - Protracted Course in a Hemodialysis Patient

Vancomycin induced thrombocytopenia (VIT) is an uncommon side effect of vancomycin which can manifest from mild petechiae to life-threatening bleed. Decreased renal clearance of vancomycin results in prolonged thrombocytopenia by antibody-mediated platelet destruction in the presence of vancomycin. Improvement in thrombocytopenia is achieved with the elimination of vancomycin. We describe a patient with end stage renal disease who experienced a protracted course of thrombocytopenia from vancomycin. We illustrate the mechanism of thrombocytopenia and the treatment modalities used by us and those described in literature. VIT is an important differential in patients with thrombocytopenia admitted to the hospital.

Vancomycin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Narrative Review

Thrombocytopenia has been reported as an adverse reaction of numerous drugs. Vancomycin is often overlooked as a culprit but has been associated with several cases of thrombocytopenia that were not well described in the literature. A literature search was conducted to find reports of thrombocytopenia induced by vancomycin. Biomedical databases including 'PubMed', 'Scopus', and 'Web of Science' were searched using terms 'vancomycin', 'platelet', 'pancytopenia', 'thrombocytopenia', and 'bleeding'. English language articles published before July 2015 were included. Thirty-nine papers including 29 case reports (30 cases), five observational studies, two clinical trials, two letters, and one case series remained for final analysis. The main route of administration was intravenous infusion. This adverse reaction seems to be duration dependent with the mean time to platelet nadir count of 8 days in reported cases. The interval may be significantly shorter in re-exposure to the drug. Platelet nadir counts ranged from 2000 to 100,000/mL in patients who experienced bleeding. Vancomycin-specific antibodies were detected in 13 of 17 patients who were tested in the case reports. Based on the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale, reaction was 'definite', 'probable', and 'possible' in 1, 15, and 14 patients, respectively. Among 30 cases, vancomycin was discontinued in 29 patients and platelets returned to normal counts within 5-6 days in 17 of them; in one patient, vancomycin was not discontinued, but platelet count recovered 11 days after the nadir time. Transfusion might be recommended if severe thrombocytopenia and bleeding occurs. Intravenous immunoglobulins, corticosteroids, rituximab, and plasma exchange should be reserved for patients with resistant thrombocytopenia and severe bleeding as mentioned in a number of reports.