Drug Interactions between amoxicillin / clarithromycin / lansoprazole and colchicine

GENERALLY AVOID: Coadministration of colchicine with clarithromycin may significantly increase the serum concentrations of colchicine. The proposed mechanism is inhibition of the CYP450 3A4-mediated metabolism and P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated transport of colchicine by clarithromycin. Clinical toxicity including myopathy, neuropathy, multiorgan failure, and pancytopenia may occur. A case report describes two fatal cases of agranulocytosis due to presumed interaction between colchicine and clarithromycin, one in a patient with mild liver function test abnormalities and the other in a patient with end-stage renal failure. Several other cases of suspected interaction with clarithromycin have also been reported in which patients developed rhabdomyolysis, pancytopenia, or neuromyopathy during treatment with colchicine. In most cases, concomitant risk factors such as preexisting renal and/or hepatic impairment were present. In a retrospective study of 116 patients who were prescribed clarithromycin and colchicine during the same hospital admission, 9 out of 88 patients (10.2%) who received the two drugs concomitantly died, compared to only 1 of 28 patients (3.6%) who received the drugs sequentially. The rate of pancytopenia was 10.2% in the concomitant group versus 0% in the sequential group. Multivariate analysis of the patients who received concomitant therapy found that longer overlapped therapy, the presence of baseline renal impairment, and the development of pancytopenia were independently associated with death. Overall, the risk of death was increased 25-fold in patients who received concomitant therapy and who developed pancytopenia.

MANAGEMENT: Due to the risk of life-threatening and fatal toxicity, concomitant use of colchicine with clarithromycin should generally be avoided if possible. Otherwise, caution is advised. Coadministration of colchicine with clarithromycin in patients with renal or hepatic impairment is considered contraindicated. In patients with normal renal and hepatic function, the dosage of colchicine should be reduced when used with potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitors or within 14 days of using them. For the treatment of acute gout flares, the recommended dosage is 0.6 mg for one dose, followed by 0.3 mg one hour later. Administration should not be repeated for at least three days. For the prophylaxis of gout flares, the adjusted dosage should be 0.3 mg once a day if the original regimen was 0.6 mg twice a day, and 0.3 mg once every other day if the original regimen was 0.6 once a day. For the treatment of familial Mediterranean fever, the maximum dosage of colchicine is 0.6 mg/day (may be given as 0.3 mg twice a day) when used in the presence of potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitors. Patients should be advised to contact their physician if they experience symptoms of toxicity such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, myalgia, asthenia, hyporeflexia, paraesthesia, and numbness.

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MONITOR: Coadministration with clarithromycin may increase the plasma concentrations of lansoprazole. The proposed mechanism is clarithromycin inhibition of intestinal (first-pass) and hepatic metabolism of lansoprazole via CYP450 3A4. Although lansoprazole is primarily metabolized by CYP450 2C19 in the liver, 3A4-mediated metabolism is the predominant pathway in individuals who are 2C19-deficient (approximately 3% to 5% of the Caucasian and 17% to 20% of the Asian population). Additionally, inhibition of P-glycoprotein intestinal efflux transporter by clarithromycin may also contribute to the interaction, resulting in increased bioavailability of lansoprazole. In 18 healthy volunteers--six each of homozygous extensive metabolizers (EMs), heterozygous EMs, and poor metabolizers (PMs) of CYP450 2C19--clarithromycin (400 mg orally twice a day for 6 days) increased the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of a single 60 mg oral dose of lansoprazole by 1.47, 1.71- and 1.52-fold, respectively, and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) by 1.55-, 1.74- and 1.80-fold, respectively, in each of these groups compared to placebo. The AUC ratio of lansoprazole to lansoprazole sulphone, which is considered an index of CYP450 3A4 activity, was significantly increased by clarithromycin in all three groups. However, elimination half-life of lansoprazole was prolonged by 1.54-fold only in PMs. Mild diarrhea was reported in two subjects and mild abdominal disturbance in six subjects during clarithromycin coadministration. These side effects continued until day 6 and ameliorated the day after discontinuation of clarithromycin, whereas no adverse events were reported during placebo administration or after lansoprazole plus placebo. In another study, clarithromycin induced dose-dependent increases in the plasma concentration of lansoprazole in a group of 20 patients receiving treatment for H. pylori eradication. Mean 3-hour plasma lansoprazole concentration was 385 ng/mL for the control subjects who received lansoprazole 30 mg and amoxicillin 750 mg twice a day for 7 days; 696 ng/mL for patients coadministered clarithromycin 200 mg twice a day; and 947 ng/mL for patients coadministered clarithromycin 400 mg twice a day.

MANAGEMENT: Although lansoprazole is generally well tolerated, caution may be advised during coadministration with clarithromycin, particularly if higher dosages of one or both drugs are used. Dosage adjustment may be necessary in patients who experience excessive adverse effects of lansoprazole.

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Although some in vitro data indicate synergism between macrolide antibiotics and penicillins, other in vitro data indicate antagonism. When these drugs are given together, neither has predictable therapeutic efficacy. Data are available for erythromycin, although theoretically this interaction could occur with any macrolide. Except for monitoring of the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy, no special precautions appear to be necessary.

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