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Researchers at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., report three cases of liver problems in patients taking the antibiotic telithromycin (Ketek).

According to researchers, one of the patients died, one required and received a liver transplant, and the third recovered from drug-induced hepatitis after the antibiotic was stopped. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved telithromycin in 2004 to treat acute bacterial infections from chronic bronchitis, acute bacterial sinusitis, and community-acquired pneumonia.

"These cases could represent an unusual clustering of a rare, idiosyncratic drug reaction at one medical center," says John S. Hanson, M.D., a hepatologist at the liver transplant center at Carolinas Medical Center. "However, the severity of liver injury in two of our patients warrants this report in the medical literature and will alert other physicians to this possible link with telithromycin."

Patients taking telithromycin should report symptoms such as malaise, weakness, or jaundice to their prescribing physician.

Authors say, while the cases do not prove the antibiotic caused the liver impairment, caution should be taken in prescribing this drug pending further information.

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine, published online Jan. 20, 2006

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