Macrolide-induced digoxin toxicity: a population-based study

In this 15-year, population-based, nested case-control study, the authors investigated the association between hospitalization for digoxin toxicity and recent exposure to individual macrolide antibiotics. Clarithromycin was associated with the highest risk of digoxin toxicity (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 14.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.9-27.9), whereas erythromycin and azithromycin were associated with much lower risk (adjusted OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.7-7.9; and adjusted OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.1-12.5, respectively). The authors found no increased risk with a neutral comparator, cefuroxime (adjusted OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.2-3.4).