Reversible skeletal disease and high fluoride serum levels in hematologic patients receiving voriconazole

Blood. 2012 Sep 20;120(12):2390-4. doi: 10.1182/blood-2012-01-403030. Epub 2012 Aug 2.

Abstract

We here investigate the occurrence of fluoride intake-associated alterations in patients with hematologic disease on triazol antifungal medication. Clinical, laboratory, and radiology data of overall 43 patients with hematologic malignancies taking voriconazole (n = 20), posaconazole (n = 8), and itraconazole (n = 4), and a hematologic patient control group (n = 11) are described. Bone pain and radiologic evidence of periostitis were exclusively observed in patients receiving long-term voriconazole. Cessation of treatment led to clinical improvement in all cases. In line with clinical evidence, fluoride serum concentration was elevated in patients receiving voriconazole (median, 156.5 μg/L; interquartile range, 96.8 μg/L; normal < 30 μg/L) but not in the other treatment groups (P < .001 for all comparisons vs voriconazole). We conclude that serum fluoride levels were elevated on average 5-fold above normal levels in hematologic patients receiving voriconazole. Clinically relevant skeletal disease was associated with renal insufficiency and above 10-fold elevated fluoride levels, and was reversible on termination of voriconazole treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Bone Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Bone Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Fluorides / blood*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / complications
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Itraconazole / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology*
  • Periostitis / chemically induced
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Triazoles / therapeutic use
  • Voriconazole

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Pyrimidines
  • Triazoles
  • Itraconazole
  • posaconazole
  • Voriconazole
  • Fluorides