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CASE REPORT article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Disorders : Autoimmune Disorders
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1478545
This article is part of the Research Topic Infectious Diseases and Hematology: Diagnosis and Management - Volume II View all articles

A case report of severe drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia caused by piperacillin

Provisionally accepted
Hong Zhao Hong Zhao 1,2Jian Chen Jian Chen 1,2Guojin Ou Guojin Ou 1,2*
  • 1 Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
  • 2 Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Piperacillin is a beta-lactamase inhibitor frequently used in the treatment of urinary tract infections. It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with strong antibacterial action against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter, especially extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteria and Enterococcus. Side effects of piperacillin include allergic reactions, rashes such as urticaria, leukopenia, interstitial nephritis, asthma attacks, serological reactions, candida infection, and bleeding with more severe reactions resulting in anaphylactic shock. Anemia and hemolytic anemia are rare adverse reactions to piperacillin, with an incidence of 0.01-0.10%. We report herein the case of a severe postoperative immune hemolytic reaction to piperacillin. Fortunately, we quickly recognized and identified the drug reaction caused by piperacillin, immediately stopped the use of piperacillin, and performed a blood transfusion. The patient recovered and was subsequently discharged from the hospital.

    Keywords: Piperacillin, Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, human leukocyte antigen, transfusion

    Received: 10 Aug 2024; Accepted: 18 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhao, Chen and Ou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Guojin Ou, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

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