Cardiovascular Toxicity Profile of Macrolides Investigated Using VigiBase Data: A Pharmacovigilance Study.

Abstract

Macrolides are associated with cardiovascular toxicity risk. However, data on their cardiovascular toxicity profiles beyond QT prolongation are limited, and differences in the profiles among various macrolide antibiotics remain unclear. We investigated the cardiovascular toxicity profiles of different macrolides using VigiBase, a global database of individual case-safety reports. Disproportionality analysis was performed using VigiBase, the WHO Pharmacovigilance database, from 1968 to December 2023. Associations between five macrolides (erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, josamycin, and roxithromycin) and adverse events (20 cardiovascular toxicities and diarrhea as a positive control) were predicted using the reporting odds ratio. Reported outcomes were evaluated for suggested drug-adverse event associations. Among the 36,129,107 reports analyzed, azithromycin was the most commonly used macrolide, followed by erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, and josamycin. Diarrhea was frequently reported among users. Azithromycin use was associated with hypertension, cardiac valve disorders, supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, torsade de pointes/QT prolongation, cardiac conduction disorders, heart failure, and hemorrhage-related laboratory abnormalities. Erythromycin and clarithromycin use were also associated with cardiac valve disorders, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, torsade de pointes/QT prolongation, and cardiac conduction disorders. The rates of caused/prolonged hospitalization in azithromycin-related hypertension, heart failure, and bleeding-related laboratory abnormality were 46%, 45%, and 50%, respectively. Each of the macrolide antimicrobials was associated with various cardiovascular toxicities, including Cardiac valve disorder, shock, and QT prolongation. Notably, azithromycin was associated with an increased frequency of reported hypertension and heart failure, distinguishing it from the other drugs. These results highlight the importance of considering the cardiovascular toxicity profile of individual macrolide antibiotics when prescribing them.