Serotonin Syndrome as a Consequence of Drug-Resistant Infections: An Interaction Between Linezolid and Citalopram

Serotonin Toxicity Associated with the Use of Linezolid: A Review of Postmarketing Data

“…Because serotonin toxicity with linezolid has only been reported in patients receiving concurrent therapy with medications known to potentiate central serotonergic activity [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17], we requested that the FDA provide a complete list of concurrent medications received by patients.…”

Comparative Evaluation of Serotonin Toxicity among Veterans Affairs Patients Receiving Linezolid and Vancomycin

“…Based on a lack of real-world comparator data on the risk of ST with linezolid, especially in patients receiving concomitant SAs (4,(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17), the intent of this study was to delineate the risk of ST associated with linezolid relative to that associated with vancomycin among hospitalized patients. We selected vancomycin as the comparator since it is used for similar indications in clinical practice, and it is not known to cause ST (26,27).…”

“…Despite this risk, few comparative studies have evaluated the association between the use of linezolid and ST among patients concurrently receiving linezolid and medications with adrenergic and serotonergic activity (4,(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). To date, published postmarketing evaluations of the risk of ST in patients receiving concomitant linezolid and other serotonergic medications have been limited primarily to case reports and small retrospective studies without comparator groups (4,(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”

“…To date, published postmarketing evaluations of the risk of ST in patients receiving concomitant linezolid and other serotonergic medications have been limited primarily to case reports and small retrospective studies without comparator groups (4,(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). While case reports and noncomparator cohort studies provide a glimpse into the causal relationship between drug exposure and effect, it is impossible to quantify the prevalence of the finding or the magnitude of the effect caused by a specific agent or a combination of agents.…”

Linezolid and Serotonin Syndrome

“…Table 4 lists the case reports found in the literature. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Time to onset of symptoms ranged from < 24 hours to 3 weeks, while time to resolution of symptoms once 1 or both of the drugs were discontinued ranged from 1 to 5 days. All but 2 of the case reports involve coadministration of a proserotonergic agent and linezolid, in which linezolid is added to a regimen already containing an SSRI.…”