Correspondence: Serotonin Syndrome Due To Co-Administration of Linezolid and Venlafaxine
Correspondence: Serotonin Syndrome Due To Co-Administration of Linezolid and Venlafaxine
Correspondence: Serotonin Syndrome Due To Co-Administration of Linezolid and Venlafaxine
L. monocytogenes by 50%, and glatiramer did not modify this blocks the activation of THP-1 cells by interferon-gamma. European
effect. When infected cells were exposed to ampicillin for 24 h Journal of Pharmacology 342, 303–10.
after phagocytosis, the bacterial load was reduced by 1.7 log 4. Carryn, S., Van Bambeke, F., Mingeot-Leclercq, M. P. et al.
compared with the original, post-phagocytosis inoculum. Glatira- (2002). Comparative intracellular (THP-1 macrophage) and extracellu-
lar activities of beta-lactams, azithromycin, gentamicin, and fluoroqui-
mer, IFN-g, or the combination of glatiramer and IFN-g did not
nolones against Listeria monocytogenes at clinically relevant
significantly modify this effect of ampicillin. In the next series concentrations. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 46,
of experiments, we examined the activity of moxifloxacin 2095–103.
(4 mg/L) using the 5 h model. We observed a decrease in the 5. Carryn, S., Van de Velde, S., Van Bambeke, F. et al. (2004).
post-phagocytosis inoculum of 1.34 ± 0.03, 1.26 ± 0.16, Impairment of Listeria monocytogenes growth in THP-1 macrophages
1.31 ± 0.07 and 1.32 ± 0.07 log10 units for cells treated with mox- by granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. Roles of TNF-a
ifloxacin alone, glatiramer and moxifloxacin, IFN-g and moxi- and nitric oxide release. Journal of Infectious Diseases 189, 2101–9.
floxacin, and the combination of glatiramer, IFN-g and 6. Ouadrhiri, Y., Scorneaux, B., Sibille, Y. et al. (1999). Mechanism
moxifloxacin, respectively. In parallel experiments, we examined of the intracellular killing and modulation of antibiotic susceptibility of
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Correspondence
and linezolid 600 mg twice daily. At that time the patient was A Phase III study of linezolid included 52 patients receiving
also receiving venlafaxine 150 mg nocte for depression. concomitant linezolid and an SSRI with no reports of serotonin
Twenty days after commencing the oral antibiotic regimen syndrome. Given the limited treatment experience with these
the patient was noted to be confused and disorientated, with dis- agents in combination, physicians were alerted to be aware of
turbance of his sleep–wake cycle, and was intermittently aggres- the potential for interaction.3
sive. A computed tomography scan of the brain did not reveal Serotonin syndrome has been reported in a patient receiving
any significant abnormality, serum biochemistry was normal, low-dose venlafaxine (a serotonin noradrenergic reuptake inhibi-
full blood examination (FBE) showed normal white cell count tor) alone; however, it is most commonly caused by drug inter-
and there was no clinical evidence of sepsis. His vital signs were actions.4 The syndrome has been now been described as being
within the normal range and clinical examination did not reveal the result of interaction between linezolid and citalopram, and
a specific reason for his altered mental status. Four days later the linezolid and paroxetine.5,6
patient became drowsy and was transferred from the rehabilita- Linezolid is a useful antimicrobial that has a role in treating
tion centre to an acute hospital. There he was found to have a difficult Gram-positive infections. There is an increasing body of
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