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TRIMETHOPRIM/SULPHAMETHOXAZOLE: LONG‐TERM THERAPY AND FOLATE LEVELS
Author(s) -
GIRDWOOD RONALD H.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1973.tb111184.x
Subject(s) - folic acid antagonists , megaloblastic anaemia , trimethoprim , medicine , folic acid , adverse effect , drug , pediatrics , antibiotics , pharmacology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Drugs alleged to cause megaloblastic anaemia are briefly discussed. In a series of patients treated for one year with Septrin (trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole) there was no evidence for the production of anaemia, and the serum and red cell folate levels did not fall. Eight patients are discussed whose megaloblastic anaemia was thought by their physicians to have been induced by the TMP/SMX combination. In every instance an alternative explanation was found. Reports in the literature of alleged adverse effects of the drug combination on human folates are reviewed. Naturally, it would be inadvisable to give any folate antagonist to a subject already suffering from folate deficiency.