Levofloxacin-induced Severe Thrombocytopenia
Chantana Polprasert MD*, Kannadit Prayongratana MD*
Affiliation : * Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Srinakarinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Thrombocytopenia following drug administration is commonly found in clinical practice.
Recognition of this condition is important for further management of the patients. Many drugs were reported
to be the cause of drug induced thrombocytopenia but levofloxacin was rarely reported.
Case Report: We present a seventy-eight-year-old male patient who developed severe thrombocytopenia
with hemoptysis after taking levofloxacin for 4 days due to infected bronchiectasis. His platelet count was
gradually recovered to normal value after the discontinuation of levofloxacin.
Conclusion : Levofloxacin can cause severe thrombocytopenia. Specific antibody to platelet surface
glycoproteins caused by levofloxacin should be further studied to confirm the association.
Keywords : Levofloxacin, Ofloxacin, Thrombocytopenia
