Drug Interactions between cyclosporine and dexamethasone / ketorolac / moxifloxacin

MONITOR CLOSELY: Concomitant administration of corticosteroids may potentiate the risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture associated with fluoroquinolone treatment. The mechanism is unknown. Tendinitis and tendon rupture have most frequently involved the Achilles tendon, although cases involving the rotator cuff (the shoulder), the hand, the biceps, and the thumb have also been reported. Some have required surgical repair or resulted in prolonged disability. Tendon rupture can occur during or up to several months after completion of fluoroquinolone therapy.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is recommended if fluoroquinolones are prescribed in combination with corticosteroids, particularly in patients with other concomitant risk factors (e.g., age over 60 years; recipient of kidney, heart, and/or lung transplant). Patients should be advised to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and promptly contact their physician if they experience pain, swelling, or inflammation of a tendon. In general, fluoroquinolones should only be used to treat conditions that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria and only if the benefits outweigh the risks.

MONITOR: Coadministration of cyclosporine with a corticosteroid may result in altered (usually elevated) plasma concentrations of one or both drugs. Cyclosporine and corticosteroids undergo metabolism primarily by CYP450 3A4, thus competitive inhibition of metabolic clearance may occur during concomitant use. Plasma prednisolone concentrations have been reported to increase during coadministration with cyclosporine in transplant patients, resulting in symptoms of hypercorticism. Similarly, trough plasma levels of cyclosporine increased following the addition of methylprednisolone in a group of patients treated for transplant rejection, some of whom required a reduction in cyclosporine dosage. There have also been isolated reports of seizures in patients receiving cyclosporine with high-dose methylprednisolone, although a causal relationship has not been established. Clinical data are not available for other corticosteroids. While all corticosteroids are believed to be substrates of CYP450 3A4 and may be competitive inhibitors of cyclosporine metabolism, dexamethasone has also been reported to induce this isoenzyme, thus it may reduce levels of cyclosporine.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised during concomitant therapy with cyclosporine and corticosteroids. Pharmacologic responses and/or plasma drug levels should be monitored more closely whenever one or the other agent is added to or withdrawn from therapy in patients stabilized on their existing therapeutic regimen, and the dosage(s) adjusted as necessary. During concomitant therapy, patients should be observed for symptoms of hypercorticism (e.g., acne, bruising easily, moon face, edema, hirsutism, buffalo hump, skin striae) and cyclosporine toxicity (e.g., renal dysfunction, hypertension, convulsions, tremors).

MONITOR: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may potentiate the nephrotoxic effects of cyclosporine, especially if dehydration is present. The exact mechanism is unknown but is apparently unrelated to plasma cyclosporine levels. The interaction has been reported with diclofenac and sulindac. Data for other NSAIDs are not available, but a similar effect may be expected based on their common pharmacologic action.

MANAGEMENT: Renal function should be closely monitored in patients receiving concomitant therapy with cyclosporine and NSAIDs.

MONITOR: The combined use of corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may increase the potential for serious gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity, including inflammation, bleeding, ulceration, and perforation. In a large, case-control study of elderly patients, those who used corticosteroids and NSAIDs concurrently had an estimated relative risk (RR) for peptic ulcer disease and GI hemorrhage of 14.6 compared to those who used neither. Corticosteroid use was associated with a doubling of the risk (estimated RR = 2.0), but the risk was confined to those who also used NSAIDs. It is possible that both categories of agents are ulcerogenic and have additive effects on the GI mucosa during coadministration. Some investigators have also suggested that the primary effect of corticosteroids in this interaction is to delay healing of erosions caused by NSAIDs rather than cause de novo ulcerations.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised if corticosteroids and NSAIDs are used together, especially in patients with a prior history of peptic ulcer disease or GI bleeding and in elderly and debilitated patients. During concomitant therapy, patients should be advised to take the medications with food and to immediately report signs and symptoms of GI ulceration and bleeding such as severe abdominal pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, and the appearance of black, tarry stools. The selective use of prophylactic anti-ulcer therapy (e.g., antacids, H2-antagonists) may be considered.

MONITOR: Coadministration with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may potentiate the risk of central nervous system toxicity sometimes associated with fluoroquinolone use. The interaction has been reported most often with enoxacin. It may occur with other fluoroquinolones as well, but is poorly documented. The exact mechanism of interaction is unknown. Some investigators suggest that the piperazine ring of fluoroquinolones may inhibit the binding of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to brain receptors and that NSAIDs may synergistically add to this effect. Patients with a history of seizures may be at greater risk.

MANAGEMENT: Clinical monitoring for signs of CNS stimulation such as tremors, involuntary muscle movements, hallucinations, or seizures is recommended if fluoroquinolone antibiotics are prescribed in combination with NSAIDs.