Table 3.
Antimicrobials associated with PN
| Medication | Indication | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Benznidazole | Chagas disease | Sensory polyneuropathy |
| Chloroquine/Hydroxychloroquine | Malaria | Sensory polyneuropathy |
| Chloramphenicol | Broad spectrum antibiotic | Painful sensory polyneuropathy |
| Clioquinil | Antifungal, antiprotozoal | Subacute myelo-optic neuropathy in Japan, since then its use has been limited, unclear association |
| Dapsone | Leprosy | Motor-predominant neuropathy, non length-dependent. Toxicity is dose-related, after chronic ingestion of greater than 300 mg/d |
| Ethambutol | Tuberculosis | Optic neuropathy |
| Ethionamide | Tuberculosis | Sensory neuropathy |
| Fluoroquinolones | Broad spectrum antibiotic | Sensorimotor axonal polyneuropathy. Overall risk is small, unclear if causal relationship |
| Griseofulvin | Antifungal | Sensory polyneuropathy |
| Isoniazid | Tuberculosis | Pyridoxine (B6) 100 mg daily prevents toxicity |
| Mefloquine | Malaria | Sensory polyneuropathy |
| Metronidazole | Anaerobic infections | Predominantly sensory axonal neuropathy |
| Nitrofurantoin | Urinary tract infections | Patients with impaired renal function are at greater risk |
| Podophyllin resin | Treatment of warts | Sensorimotor and autonomic neuropathy |
| Voriconazole/Posaconazole | Antifungal | Painful neuropathy |
| Linezolid | Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) | Polyneuropathy risk increased with long term use, may be due to mitochondrial toxicity |
| Thalidomide | Leprosy | Sensorimotor polyneuropathy |