A D’Agrosa et al. J Pediatr 2024; 273; DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114129. Cefdinir Stool
This 5 month old infant was brought to ED due to diarrhea and dark stools for 2 weeks. She had completed cefdinir for a UTI.
Cefdinir may cause red or maroon stools when administered with iron or products that contain iron, such as infant formula. This typically occurs within two days of antibiotic administration.
My take: Familiarity with this reaction is helpful to avoid extensive evaluations. Also, it is worthwhile to keep in mind that false-positive testing with guaiac testing is common (up to 34% in healthy infants).
Other references:
- R Graves et al. J Am Board Fam Med 2008;21:246 –248. Open Access! Cefdinir-Associated “Bloody Stools” in an Infant
- YouTube: “Bloody Diaper of Cefdinir Side Effect”
- S Al Okla, et al. The Journal of Emergency Medicine 2023; 64: 220-223. Open Access! Emergent “Bloody Diarrhea” Associated with the Use of Oral Cefdinir in Young Children: A Brief Report and Review of Literature
Related blog posts:
- Another Obscure Medication Effect: Mesalamine Staining Cleaned Toilet
- Dr. Victoria Martin: Management of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy/Intolerance : Are We Causing More Harm Than Good? (Part 1)
- Dr. Victoria Martin: Management of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy/Intolerance : Are We Causing More Harm Than Good? (Part 2)
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