Recently Reported Adverse Effects of Miscellaneous Antibiotics

Purpose: Antibiotics are utilized for the treatment of various infections though they are not used entirely without any safety concerns. Antibiotics are known to be associated with various adverse effects and literature review can be utilized in not only learning about these adverse effects but also how to manage them. Our research focuses on the adverse effects published in the literature during 2023 on multiple antibiotic drug classes. The purpose of this review is to provide an updated collection of information to healthcare professionals from all disciplines on both pre-existing and new or uncommon side effects of antibiotics. Methods: A list of antimicrobial agents were separated into six different classes plus a miscellaneous category. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were used to analyze articles published between January to December of 2023. Medical subject headings (MESH) search terms were utilized to further specify each separate antimicrobial pharmacologic class via the word adverse effects . A total of 90 articles were found to be relevant and utilized in our review. The filtered articles were meticulously assessed and were summarized and arranged according to pre-specified antimicrobial classes including glycopeptides, oxazolidinones, macrolides, lincosamides, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides along with miscellaneous antibiotics including metronidazole, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and daptomycin. Commonly known adverse effects were reported on but the focus was on those that are severe and rare. Results: Within the 90 articles found, most contained one adverse event per article, though there were a few articles that contained more than one adverse event for the drug being studied. Of the body systems, hepatic, renal and hematologic systems were found to be most affected by these classes of antibiotics. Glycopeptides, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides were the drug classes most frequently seen with adverse effects, with 24 articles representing adverse effects from glycopeptides, 16 articles representing fluoroquinolone adverse effects, and 14 articles representing aminoglycoside adverse effects. Specific agents seen with the most adverse effects were vancomycin with a total of 19 reported adverse effects and metronidazole and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim with 11 reported adverse effects each. Conclusion: Antibiotics play a crucial role in treating bacterial infections, but their use is not without risks. Adverse effects can range from mild reactions to severe complications, such as allergic responses or antibiotic resistance. Understanding these potential adverse effects is essential for using them responsibly. Education on side effects plus careful prescribing practices can maximize the benefits of antibiotics while minimizing their risks where we can ultimately enhance treatment outcomes for patients and reduce issues such as antimicrobial resistance.