A 12-year old girl developed transitory agranulocytosis 13 days after treat ment with procainamide for arrythmia was begun. The white cell count and differential returned rapidly to normal with complete clinical recovery after procainamide was discontinued. Agranulocytosis, a rare and serious complica tion of procainamide therapy, has a high mortality rate. Patients re ceiving this drug should be observed closely and followed with frequent blood counts.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Goodman, L.S. , and Gilman, A.: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics , 4th ed. New York, The McMillan Co., 1970, p. 719.
2.
Blomgren, S.E. , Condemi, J.J., Bignall, M.C., and Vaughn, J.H.: Antinuclear antibody induced by procainamide. A prospective study. N. Engl. J. Med.281: 64, 1969.
3.
Inouye, M., Millar, J., and Towsend, J.H.: Agranulocytosis following maintenance dosage of pronestyl, report of severe case with recovery. JAMA147: 652, 1951.
4.
Fabregoule, P.M., and Messerschmitt , J.: Agranulocytose au cours d'un traitement par l'amide procainique. Sang.25: 510, 1954.
5.
Talmers, F.N. , and Telmos, A.J.: A case report. Procainamide hydrochloride (pronestyl) induced agranulocytosis. J. Michigan M. Soc.64: 655, 1965.
6.
Oster, Z.M.: Agranulocytosis and lupus erythematosis phenomenon after procainamide. Israel J.M. Sc.2: 354, 1966.
7.
Hickson, B., Davidson, R.J.L., and Walker, W.: Agranulocytosis caused by procainamide. Scottish Med. J.17: 165, 1972.
8.
Miller, H., Pollock, R.C., and Griffith, G.C.: Fatal agranulocytosis resulting from a procaine derivative. J. Lab. Clin. Med.38: 850, 1951.
9.
Antzis, E., Dunn, J.J., and Schilero, A.J.: Pronestyl (procainamide) therapy in paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. Am. Heart J.43: 911, 1952.
10.
Wang, R.I., and Schuller, G.: Agranulocytosis following procainamide administration. Am. Heart J.78: 282, 1969.
11.
Pisciotta, A.V.: Drug induced leukopenia and aplastic anemia . Clin. Pharmacol. Ther.12: 13, 1971.
12.
Dubois, E.L. : Procainamide induction of a systemic lupus erythematosis-like syndrome. Presentation of six cases, review of literature and analysis and follow-up of reported cases. Medicine48: 217, 1969.
13.
Zuckerman, A.J., and Chazon, A.A.: Agranulocytosis with thrombocytopenia following chlorothiazide therapy. Br. Med. J.2: 1338, 1958.
14.
Ince, W.E.: A case of agranulocytosis following chlorothiazide. Practitioner189: 74, 1962.
15.
Dinon, L.R. , Kim, Y.S., and Vonder Veer , J.B.: Clinical experience with chlorothiazide with particular emphasis on untoward responses. Am. J. Med. Sci.236: 533, 1958.
16.
Schotland, M.G., and Grumbach , M.M.: Neutropenia in an infant secondary to hydrochlorothiazide therapy: with a review of hematologic reactions to "thiazide" drugs. Pediatrics31: 754, 1963.
17.
Chrein, M.B. , and Rubin, I.L.: Agranulocytosis secondary to hydrochlorothiazide therapy. JAMA181: 54, 1962.
