Dangers of low-dose colchicine in patients with renal failure

(1) Life-threatening colchicine intoxication can occur in patients with renal failure, even with low-dose regimens. (2) Diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting are the first manifestations of overdose. Colchicine must be withdrawn immediately to avoid severe complications (especially haematological and neuromuscular). (3) Colchicine must not be prescribed without first assessing creatinine clearance (using the Cockroft formula, for example), especially in elderly patients.