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adverse reactions
ADVERSE REACTIONS In clinical trials, most of the reported side effects were mild to moderate in severity and were reversible upon discontinuation of the drug. Potentially serious side effects of angioedema and cholestatic jaundice were reported rarely. Approximately 0.7% of the patients (adults and pediatric patients) from the 5-day multiple-dose clinical trials discontinued azithromycin therapy because of treatment-related side effects. In adults given 500 mg/day for 3 days, the discontinuation rate due to treatment-related side effects was 0.6%. In clinical trials in pediatric patients given 30 mg/kg, either as a single dose or over 3 days, discontinuation from the trials due to treatment-related side effects was approximately 1%. (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION .) Most of the side effects leading to discontinuation were related to the gastrointestinal tract, e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. (See CLINICAL STUDIES IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS .) Clinical Adults Multiple-dose regimens Overall, the most common treatment-related side effects in adult patients receiving multiple-dose regimens of azithromycin were related to the gastrointestinal system with diarrhea/loose stools (4 to 5%), nausea (3%) and abdominal pain (2 to 3%) being the most frequently reported. No other treatment-related side effects occurred in patients on the multiple-dose regimens of azithromycin with a frequency greater than 1%. Side effects that occurred with a frequency of 1% or less included the following: Cardiovascular Palpitations, chest pain. Gastrointestinal Dyspepsia, flatulence, vomiting, melena and cholestatic jaundice. Genitourinary Monilia, vaginitis and nephritis. Nervous System Dizziness, headache, vertigo and somnolence. General Fatigue. Allergic Rash, pruritus, photosensitivity and angioedema. Single 1-gram dose regimen Overall, the most common side effects in patients receiving a single-dose regimen of 1 gram of azithromycin were related to the gastrointestinal system and were more frequently reported than in patients receiving the multiple-dose regimen. Side effects that occurred in patients on the single one-gram dosing regimen of azithromycin with a frequency of 1% or greater included diarrhea/loose stools (7%), nausea (5%), abdominal pain (5%), vomiting (2%), dyspepsia (1%) and vaginitis (1%). Single 2-gram dose regimen Overall, the most common side effects in patients receiving a single 2-gram dose of azithromycin were related to the gastrointestinal system. Side effects that occurred in patients in this study with a frequency of 1% or greater included nausea (18%), diarrhea/loose stools (14%), vomiting (7%), abdominal pain (7%), vaginitis (2%), dyspepsia (1%) and dizziness (1%). The majority of these complaints were mild in nature. Pediatric Patients Single and Multiple-dose regimens The types of side effects in pediatric patients were comparable to those seen in adults, with different incidence rates for the dosage regimens recommended in pediatric patients. Acute Otitis Media: For the recommended total dosage regimen of 30 mg/kg, the most frequent side effects (≥1%) attributed to treatment were diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and rash. (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and CLINICAL STUDIES: Pediatric Patients . ) The incidence, based on dosing regimen, is described in the table below: Dosage Regimen Diarrhea, % Abdominal Pain, % Vomiting, % Nausea, % Rash, % 1-day 4.3% 1.4% 4.9% 1.0% 1.0% 3-day 2.6% 1.7% 2.3% 0.4% 0.6% 5-day 1.8% 1.2% 1.1% 0.5% 0.4% Community-Acquired Pneumonia For the recommended dosage regimen of 10 mg/kg on Day 1 followed by 5 mg/kg on Days 2 to 5, the most frequent side effects attributed to treatment were diarrhea/loose stools, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and rash. The incidence is described in the table below: Dosage Regimen Diarrhea/ Loose stools, % Abdominal Pain, % Vomiting, % Nausea, % Rash, % 5-day 5.8% 1.9% 1.9% 1.9% 1.6% Pharyngitis/tonsillitis For the recommended dosage regimen of 12 mg/kg on Days 1 to 5, the most frequent side effects attributed to treatment were diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea and headache. The incidence is described in the table below: Dosage Regimen Diarrhea, % Abdominal Pain, % Vomiting, % Nausea, % Rash, % Headache, % 5-day 5.4% 3.4% 5.6% 1.8% 0.7% 1.1% With any of the treatment regimens, no other treatment-related side effects occurred in pediatric patients treated with azithromycin with a frequency greater than 1%. Side effects that occurred with a frequency of 1% or less included the following: Cardiovascular Chest pain. Gastrointestinal Dyspepsia, constipation, anorexia, enteritis, flatulence, gastritis, jaundice, loose stools and oral moniliasis. Hematologic and Lymphatic Anemia and leukopenia. Nervous System Headache (otitis media dosage), hyperkinesia, dizziness, agitation, nervousness and insomnia. General Fever, face edema, fatigue, fungal infection, malaise and pain. Allergic Rash and allergic reaction. Respiratory Cough increased, pharyngitis, pleural effusion and rhinitis. Skin and Appendages Eczema, fungal dermatitis, pruritus, sweating, urticaria and vesiculobullous rash. Special Senses Conjunctivitis. Post-Marketing Experience Adverse events reported with azithromycin during the post-marketing period in adult and/or pediatric patients for which a causal relationship may not be established include: Allergic Arthralgia, edema, urticaria and angioedema. Cardiovascular Arrhythmias including ventricular tachycardia and hypotension. There have been rare reports of QT prolongation and torsades de pointes. Gastrointestinal Anorexia, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, vomiting/diarrhea rarely resulting in dehydration, pseudomembranous colitis, pancreatitis, oral candidiasis and rare reports of tongue discoloration. General Asthenia, paresthesia, fatigue, malaise and anaphylaxis (rarely fatal). Genitourinary Interstitial nephritis and acute renal failure and vaginitis. Hematopoietic Thrombocytopenia. Liver/Biliary Abnormal liver function including hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice, as well as rare cases of hepatic necrosis and hepatic failure, some of which have resulted in death. Nervous System Convulsions, dizziness/vertigo, headache, somnolence, hyperactivity, nervousness, agitation and syncope. Psychiatric Aggressive reaction and anxiety. Skin/Appendages Pruritus, rarely serious skin reactions including erythema multiforme, Stevens Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Special Senses Hearing disturbances including hearing loss, deafness and/or tinnitus and reports of taste/smell perversion and/or loss. Laboratory Abnormalities Adults Clinically significant abnormalities (irrespective of drug relationship) occurring during the clinical trials were reported as follows: with an incidence of greater than 1%: decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocytes, neutrophils and blood glucose; elevated serum creatine phosphokinase, potassium, ALT, GGT, AST, BUN, creatinine, blood glucose, platelet count, lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils; with an incidence of less than 1%: leukopenia, neutropenia, decreased sodium, potassium, platelet count; elevated monocytes, basophils, bicarbonate, serum alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, LDH and phosphate. The majority of subjects with elevated serum creatinine also had abnormal values at baseline. When follow-up was provided, changes in laboratory tests appeared to be reversible. In multiple-dose clinical trials involving more than 5000 patients, four patients discontinued therapy because of treatment-related liver enzyme abnormalities and one because of a renal function abnormality. Pediatric Patients One, Three and Five Day Regimens Laboratory data collected from comparative clinical trials employing two 3-day regimens (30 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg in divided doses over 3 days), or two 5-day regimens (30 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg in divided doses over 5 days) were similar for regimens of azithromycin and all comparators combined, with most clinically significant laboratory abnormalities occurring at incidences of 1 to 5%. Laboratory data for patients receiving 30 mg/kg as a single dose were collected in one single center trial. In that trial, an absolute neutrophil count between 500 to 1500 cells/mm 3 was observed in 10/64 patients receiving 30 mg/kg as a single dose, 9/62 patients receiving 30 mg/kg given over 3 days, and 8/63 comparator patients. No patient had an absolute neutrophil count less than 500 cells/mm 3 . (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION . ) In multiple-dose clinical trials involving approximately 4700 pediatric patients, no patients discontinued therapy because of treatment-related laboratory abnormalities.