Cefixime Drug Information

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The most commonly seen adverse reactions in U.S. trials of the tablet formulation were gastrointestinal events, which were reported in 30% of adult patients on either the twice daily or the once daily regimen. Five percent (5%) of patients in the U.S. clinical trials discontinued therapy because of drug-related adverse reactions.

Individual adverse reactions included diarrhea 16%, loose or frequent stools 6%, abdominal pain 3%, nausea 7%, dyspepsia 3%, and flatulence 4%. The incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions, including diarrhea and loose stools, in pediatric patients receiving the suspension was comparable to the incidence seen in adult patients receiving tablets.

Post-marketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been reported following the post-approval use of cefixime. Incidence rates were less than 1 in 50 (less than 2%). Gastrointestinal Several cases of documented pseudomembranous colitis were identified in clinical trials. The onset of pseudomembranous colitis symptoms may occur during or after therapy.

Hypersensitivity Reactions Anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions (including shock and fatalities), skin rashes, urticaria, drug fever, pruritus, angioedema, and facial edema. Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and serum sickness-like reactions have been reported. Hepatic Transient elevations in SGPT, SGOT, alkaline phosphatase, hepatitis, jaundice.

Renal Transient elevations in BUN or creatinine, acute renal failure. Central Nervous System Headaches, dizziness, seizures. Hemic and Lymphatic System Transient thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia, prolongation in prothrombin time, elevated LDH, pancytopenia, agranulocytosis, and eosinophilia.

Abnormal Laboratory Tests Hyperbilirubinemia. Other Adverse Reactions Genital pruritus, vaginitis, candidiasis, toxic epidermal necrolysis. Adverse Reactions Reported for Cephalosporin-class Drugs Allergic reactions, superinfection, renal dysfunction, toxic nephropathy, hepatic dysfunction including cholestasis, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, hemorrhage, and colitis.

Several cephalosporins have been implicated in triggering seizures, particularly in patients with renal impairment when the dosage was not reduced . If seizures associated with drug therapy occur, the drug should be discontinued. Anticonvulsant therapy can be given if clinically indicated.

Carbamazepine Elevated carbamazepine levels have been reported in postmarketing experience when cefixime

is administered concomitantly. Drug monitoring may be of assistance in detecting alterations in carbamazepine plasma concentrations.

Warfarin and Anticoagulants Increased prothrombin time, with or without clinical bleeding, has

been reported when cefixime is administered concomitantly.

Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions

A false-positive reaction for ketones in the urine may occur with tests using nitroprusside but not with those using nitroferricyanide. The administration of cefixime may result in a false-positive reaction for glucose in the urine using Clinitest ®**, Benedict’s solution, or Fehling’s solution. It is recommended that glucose tests based on enzymatic glucose oxidase reactions (such as Clinistix ®** or TesTape ®** ) be used.

A false-positive direct Coombs test has been reported during treatment with other cephalosporins; therefore, it should be recognized that a positive Coombs test may be due to the drug. ** Clinitest ® and Clinistix ® are registered trademarks of Ames Division, Miles Laboratories, Inc. Tes-Tape ® is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.

Pregnancy Risk Summary Available data from published observational studies, case series, and case reports over several decades with cephalosporin use, including cefixime, in pregnant women have not established drug-associated risks of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes (see Data). Reproduction studies have been performed in mice and rats at doses equivalent to 40 and 80 times, respectively, the adult human recommended dose and have revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus due to cefixime (see Data ). The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risks of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations Disease-Associated Maternal and/or Embryo/Fetal Risk Maternal gonorrhea may be associated with preterm birth, low neonatal birth weight, chorioamnionitis, intrauterine growth restriction, small for gestational age and premature rupture of membranes. Perinatal transmission of gonorrhea to the offspring can result in infant blindness, joint infections, and bloodstream infections. Data Human Data While available studies cannot definitively establish the absence of risk, published data from prospective cohort studies, case series, and case reports over several decades have not identified a consistent association with cephalosporin use, including cefixime, during pregnancy, and major birth defects, miscarriage, or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes.

Available studies have methodological limitations, including small sample size, retrospective data collection, and inconsistent comparator groups. Animal data The results of embryo-fetal development studies in mice and rats show that cefixime, at doses up to 3200 mg/kg/day administered during the period of organogenesis did not adversely affect development. In these studies, in mice and rats, cefixime did not affect postnatal development or reproductive capacity of the F 1 generation or fetal development of the F 2 generation.

In an embryo-fetal development study in rabbits, cefixime at doses of 3.2, 10 or 32 mg/kg given daily during the period of organogenesis (gestation days 6 through 18) resulted in abortions and/or maternal deaths at doses > 10 mg/kg (typically associated with the administration of antibiotics in this species), but no malformations were reported at lower doses. A pre- and post-natal development study of cefixime at oral doses up to 3200 mg/kg/day in rats demonstrated no effect on the duration of pregnancy, process of parturition, development and viability of offspring, or reproductive capacity of the F 1 generation and development of their fetuses (F 2 ).

Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness of cefixime in pediatric patients younger than 6 months of age have not been established. The incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions, including diarrhea and loose stools, in the pediatric patients receiving the suspension, was comparable to the incidence seen in adult patients receiving tablets.

Cefixime for oral suspension is contraindicated in patients with known allergy to cefixime or other cephalosporins. Contraindicated in patients with known allergy to cefixime or other cephalosporins.

Gastric lavage may be indicated; otherwise, no specific antidote exists. Cefixime is not removed in significant quantities from the circulation by hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Adverse reactions in small numbers of healthy adult volunteers receiving single doses up to 2 g of cefixime did not differ from the profile seen in patients treated at the recommended doses.