Cleocin HCl Side Effects

Generic Name: clindamycin,clindamycin hydrochloride

Please note - some side effects for Cleocin HCl may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

Side Effects by Body System - for Healthcare Professionals

Gastrointestinal

The development of pseudomembranous colitis is associated with the presence of Clostridium difficile toxin in the stool. It appears as a pale plaque on direct visualization of the mucosa by endoscopy and is sensitive to oral vancomycin or metronidazole. Pseudomembranous colitis may be associated with toxic megacolon, which can be life-threatening.

Gastrointestinal side effects have included nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, esophagitis, diarrhea (in as many as 20% of treated patients), and pseudomembranous colitis. Dry mouth, hairy tongue, upset stomach, gastrointestinal bleeding, and mouth irritation have also been reported.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects have included generalized pruritic, maculopapular rash, vesiculobullous rash, urticaria, edema, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, anaphylactoid reactions, and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis. Rash is particularly common in AIDS patients. Rare cases of leukocytoclastic angiitis, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome associated with clindamycin hypersensitivity have been reported.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included rare cases of high degree heart block, hypotension, and cardiopulmonary arrest after clindamycin was administered intravenously over several minutes. In these cases, the affected patients subsequently tolerated slow infusions of clindamycin.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included rare cases of granulocytopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, transient neutropenia, and transient eosinophilia; however, causality could not be determined.

Neutropenia (ANC 945 cells/mm3) occurred in a 68 year old male 6 days after receiving a single 600 mg oral dose of clindamycin. The neutrophil count normalized after 2 weeks.

Dermatologic

Dermatological side effects have included pruritus. At least two cases of drug-induced Sweet's syndrome have been reported.

A 47-year-old female patient with multiple comorbidities was diagnosed with Sweet's Syndrome. The patient's symptoms developed 2 days after initiating oral clindamycin therapy for a tooth infection. The patient's symptoms persisted despite tooth extraction and continuance of antibiotic treatment with intravenous, then oral, clindamycin. Following discontinuation of clindamycin, the patient's symptoms resolved over several days. Drug-induced Sweet's syndrome was determined based on the temporal relationship of the patient's symptoms, the beginning and end of clindamycin therapy, and the exclusion of other etiologies.

Three days after starting oral clindamycin for the persistence of symptoms following a root canal, a 34-year-old male patient reported "pimples" on his scalp which changed to pustules 24 hours later. The lesions progressed and the patient's antibiotic therapy was discontinued. Two days later, the rash improved considerably. The patient met the diagnostic criteria for drug-induced Sweet's syndrome and clindamycin was the most likely cause due to the timeline of antibiotic therapy and the patient's improvement following its discontinuation.

Musculoskeletal

Musculoskeletal side effects have included rare reports of polyarthritis.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects have included jaundice and abnormalities in liver function tests. Cases of cholestatic liver disease with ductopenia have also been reported.

Renal

Renal side effects have included azotemia, oliguria, and proteinuria.

Genitourinary

Genitourinary side effects have included vaginitis.

Local

Local side effects have included pain, induration, and sterile abscess after intramuscular administration and thrombophlebitis after intravenous administration.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included taste perversion/disorders (including bitter taste, taste loss, bad taste, and taste alteration) and parosmia.

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