RIFAMPICIN-INDUCED ACUTE THROMBOCYTOPENIA

Rifampicin is an essential component of the treatment regimen for tuberculosis. Extensive clinical experience has shown that the drug is well tolerated, but on rare occasions it can cause life threatening adverse reactions like acute renal failure and thrombocytopenia. At the Tuberculosis Research Centre, we have treated more than 8000 patients with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis with rifampicin-containing regimens over the past 30 years and we are reporting a case of acute thrombocytopenia probably rifampicin induced, in a patient who was retreated for tuberculosis. The physician treating tuberculosis patients must be aware of this rare life threatening complication, which if detected early, is completely reversible.