Clofazimine
Type of Medication: Antibiotic
Indications: Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus infections
Side Effects: Gastrointestinal disturbance (up to 50% of patients), hyperlipidaemia, tendinitis, arrhythmias, pink to brownish-black skin discolouration within 1–4 weeks in 75%–100% of patients and usually disappears within 6–12 months after stopping treatment, ichthyosis and dry skin (8%–38%), pruritus (5%), rash (1%–5%), photosensitivity reactions, bowel obstruction, GI haemorrhage, conjunctival pigmentation (38%–57%), subjective dimness of vision (12.3%), dry eyes, ocular irritation (24.6%), reactive depression , splenic infarction and discolouration of body fluids.
Route of administration: Adult (Oral) Dose:
Dose:100 mg od
Administration: Take with meals or with milk
Monitoring: QT prolongation reported – baseline ECG. Monitoring FBC, U&Es, LFTs.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and European Cystic Fibrosis Society consensus recommendations
Examples of some Drug Interactions
Interacting drug: may reduce the absorption of rifampicin
Interacting drug: isoniazid may increase plasma and urinary concentrations of clofazimine and decrease skin concentrations
Interacting drug: Increased risk of prolonged QT with other drugs that prolong QT eg fluoroquinolones