Urinary sludge caused by ceftriaxone in a young boy

Takahisa Kimata1, Kazunari Kaneko, Masaya Takahashi

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University.

Pediatric Reports
|June 13, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Ceftriaxone, an antibiotic, can cause calcium crystals in urine, leading to kidney stones. Monitoring urinary calcium is recommended for patients receiving ceftriaxone to prevent potential renal damage.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Nephrology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Ceftriaxone is a common antibiotic used for bacterial infections.
  • Ceftriaxone is known to cause biliary pseudolithiasis.
  • Urolithiasis is a rare but serious adverse effect of ceftriaxone.

Observation:

  • A case of bacterial meningitis in a young male patient was complicated by urinary precipitates.
  • These precipitates were identified as ceftriaxone-calcium salt using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  • This observation suggests a link between ceftriaxone administration and increased urinary calcium excretion.

Findings:

  • Ceftriaxone administration significantly increased urinary calcium excretion in the observed patient.
  • This increased calcium excretion may contribute to the formation of ceftriaxone-related urolithiasis or urinary sludge.
  • The study highlights a potential mechanism for ceftriaxone-induced kidney stone formation.

Implications:

  • Monitoring urinary calcium to creatinine ratio in patients on ceftriaxone is advisable.
  • Early detection of increased urinary calcium may help prevent stone formation and renal damage.
  • This finding warrants further investigation into the nephrotoxic potential of ceftriaxone.

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