Letter to the Editor

Daptomycin-induced pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia☆

The association between daptomycin exposure and eosinophilic pneumonia (EP) is mainly based on case reports. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and provide more evidence for better identify and management of daptomycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia in clinical practice.

Literature from 1991 to October 31, 2021 on EP induced by daptomycin were collected for retrospective analysis.

A total of 47 patients (40 male and 7 female) from 35 studies were included. The median age was 67 years (range 28–89), and 78.7% of patients were ≥60 years. Daptomycin was mainly used in patients undergoing osteoarticular infections (63.8%). Typical initial symptoms were fever (91.5%), cough (55.3%) and dyspnea (59.6%). The median onset time of symptom was 3 weeks. EP recurred in 14.9% of patients after the re-administration of daptomycin, and 57.1% of EP recurred within 24 h. Most cases were accompanied by marked accumulation of eosinophils in peripheral (41 cases) and/or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (27 cases). The main radiological features were pulmonary infiltration, ground glass opacity or consolidation in CT/CXR. All patients had symptom resolution after discontinuation of daptomycin except for one patient died due to the progression of the primary disease, the median time to symptoms relief was 3 days. Corticosteroids have been shown to help symptoms relief in some cases (59.6%).

Daptomycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare and serious complication. Physicians should consider eosinophilic pneumonia as a differential diagnosis when receiving daptomycin therapy, particularly in elderly male patients.

La asociación entre la exposición a daptomicina y la neumonía eosinofílica (NE) se basa principalmente en informes de casos. El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar las características clínicas y proporcionar más evidencia para una mejor identificación y tratamiento de la NE inducida por daptomicina en la práctica clínica.

Se recopiló literatura médica desde 1991 hasta el 31 de octubre de 2021 sobre NE inducida por daptomicina para un análisis retrospectivo.

Se incluyeron un total de 47 pacientes (40 hombres y 7 mujeres) de 35 estudios. La mediana de edad fue de 67 años (rango 28-89), y el 78,7% de los pacientes tenían ≥ 60 años. La daptomicina se utilizó principalmente en pacientes con infecciones osteoarticulares (63,8%). Los síntomas iniciales típicos fueron fiebre (91,5%), tos (55,3%) y disnea (59,6%). La mediana del tiempo de aparición de los síntomas fue de 3 semanas. La NE reapareció en el 14,9% de los pacientes después de la readministración de daptomicina, y el 57,1% lo hizo dentro de las primeras 24 h. La mayoría de los casos se acompañó de una marcada acumulación de eosinófilos en tejidos periféricos (91,1%)/pulmonares (7 casos) y/o líquido de lavado broncoalveolar (27 casos). Las principales características radiológicas fueron infiltración pulmonar, opacidad «en vidrio deslustrado» o consolidación en TC/CXR. Todos los pacientes tuvieron una resolución de los síntomas después de la interrupción de la daptomicina, excepto uno que falleció debido a la progresión de la enfermedad primaria; la mediana de tiempo hasta el alivio de los síntomas fue de 3 días. Se ha demostrado que los corticoides ayudan al alivio de los síntomas en algunos casos (59,6%).

La NE inducida por daptomicina es una complicación rara y grave. Los médicos deben considerar la NE como un diagnóstico diferencial cuando un paciente recibe tratamiento con daptomicina, particularmente en varones de edad avanzada.

Here we report six cases of daptomycin (DAP)-induced eosinophilic pneumonia (DIEP) encountered at two medical centers and present a review of 43 DIEP patients from 26 studies to compare the clinical characteristics and radiographic findings of acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP; CEP). Four of the six patients did not exhibit respiratory symptoms, and one patient with only fever was misdiagnosed with DAP-induced fever. According to our literature review and the present findings, male sex and old age were dominant risk factors for DIEP. Fever and fine crackles were the most common clinical manifestations. The DAP dose and duration of administration were not significant risk factors for DIEP, and we also could not find any association between allergic predisposition and DIEP. Among the reviewed patients, 51.8% did not show more than 25% eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage, which is a criterion for the diagnosis of drug-induced eosinophilic pneumonia. Chest images of all patients showed CEP patterns such as multiple reticulonodular infiltrates in the subpleural region and diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates with ground-glass opacities. However, 66.7% of patients also exhibited pleural effusion, a feature specific to AEP. All patients showed prompt recovery after DAP withdrawal. Our results suggest that clinicians should consider DIEP as a differential diagnosis when patients receiving DAP therapy, particularly men and elderly patients, present with fever, even in the absence of respiratory symptoms. Furthermore, they should be aware that the occurrence of DIEP is independent of the DAP dose and administration duration, and allergic reaction.

This chapter presents the studies of the effects of antibacterial drugs, such as aminoglycoside, amikacin, neomycin, chloramphenicol, and fluoroquinolones. It also reviews the evidence that ototoxicity due to aminoglycoside antibiotics is synergistic with ototoxicity due to noise exposure. The prevention of ototoxic synergy of noise with aminoglycosides is best achieved by using non-ototoxic bactericidal drugs and by attenuating perceived noise intensity when lifesaving aminoglycoside therapy is required. Aminoglycosides cause fluid, electrolyte, and acid–base disorders by altering renal tubular function in several ways, leading to hypokalemia and acidosis or alkalosis. The stimulation of the calcium-sensing receptor has been reported to cause a Bartter-like syndrome (hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, and normalserum creatinine concentrations). Data on the mechanisms of vestibulartoxicity and its development in association with aminoglycoside exposure have been extracted from the MEDLINE database and summarized in the chapter. Care should be taken to minimize the duration of exposure to aminoglycosides to reduce the risk ototoxicity.