Severe diarrhea and hypokalemia caused by gefitinib
10.3760/cma.j.cn114015-20210106-00023
- VernacularTitle:吉非替尼致严重腹泻和低钾血症
- Author:
Bobo PAN
1
;
Jie HUANG
;
Yuena HUANG
;
Han ZHONG
;
Youqin DAI
Author Information
1. 中国科学院大学宁波华美医院药学部，宁波 315010
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Gefitinib;
Diarrhea;
Hypokalemia
- From:
Adverse Drug Reactions Journal
2022;24(1):51-53
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
An 83-year-old female patient received gefitinib 0.25 g once daily due to right lung adenocarcinoma with left lung metastasis and suspicious liver metastasis. She developed severe diarrhea with nausea and vomiting 27 days after treatment. Laboratory test showed that blood potassium was 2.1 mmol/L. The results of fecal culture were negative, and infectious diarrhea was excluded. Gefinib was continued. After 4 days of treatments with potassium supplement and antidiarrheal, the patient recovered. Four days later, the patient developed the above symptoms again, and the laboratory test showed that the blood potassium was 2.96 mmol/L. Diarrhea and hypokalemia were considered to be related to gefitinib. The drug was withdrawn and the symptomatic treatments such as potassium supplement, antidiarrheal, antiemetic, and stomach protection were given. Nine days of drug withdrawal, her symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting were relieved, and laboratory test showed that blood potassium was 3.52 mmol/L; 22 days of drug withdrawal, the diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting disappeared, and the laboratory test showed that blood potassium was 4.69 mmol/L.
