SIDE EFFECTS
Clinical Trials
Non-Pregnant Women
In clinical trials involving non-pregnant women, 1.8% of 600 patients who
received treatment with clindamycin phosphate vaginal cream 2% for 3 days and 2.7% of 1325 patients
who received treatment for 7 days discontinued therapy due to drug-related adverse events. Medical
events judged to be related, probably related, possibly related, or of unknown relationship to vaginally
administered clindamycin phosphate vaginal cream 2%, were reported for 20.7% of the patients
receiving treatment for 3 days and 21.3% of the patients receiving treatment for 7 days. Events occurring
in ≥1% of patients receiving clindamycin phosphate vaginal cream 2% are shown in Table 1.
Table 1- Events Occurring in ≥1% of Non-pregnant Patients Receiving Clindamycin Phosphate Vaginal
Cream 2%
Event |
Clindamycin Phosphate Vaginal Cream |
3 Day n=600 |
7 Day n=1325 |
Urogenital |
|
|
Vaginal moniliasis |
7.7 |
10.4 |
Vulvovaginitis |
6.0 |
4.4 |
Vulvovaginal disorder |
3.2 |
5.3 |
Trichomonal vaginitis |
0 |
1.3 |
Body as a Whole |
|
|
Moniliasis (body) |
1.3 |
0.2 |
Other events occurring in <1% of the clindamycin vaginal cream 2% groups include:
Urogenital system: vaginal discharge, metrorrhagia, urinary tract infection, endometriosis, menstrual
disorder, vaginitis/vaginal infection, and vaginal pain.
Body as a whole: localized abdominal pain, generalized abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, halitosis,
headache, bacterial infection, inflammatory swelling, allergic reaction, and fungal infection.
Digestive system: nausea, vomiting, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal
disorder.
Endocrine system: hyperthyroidism.
Central nervous system: dizziness and vertigo.
Respiratory system: epistaxis.
Skin: pruritus (non-application site), moniliasis, rash, maculopapular rash, erythema, and urticaria.
Special senses: taste perversion.
Pregnant Women
In a clinical trial involving pregnant women during the second trimester, 1.7% of
180 patients who received treatment for 7 days discontinued therapy due to drug-related adverse events.
Medical events judged to be related, probably related, possibly related, or of unknown relationship to
vaginally administered clindamycin phosphate vaginal cream 2%, were reported for 22.8% of pregnant
patients. Events occurring in ≥1% of patients receiving either clindamycin phosphate vaginal cream 2%
or placebo are shown in Table 2.
Table 2- Events Occurring in ≥1% of Preg nant Patients Receiving Clindamycin Phosphate Vaginal Cream
2% or Placebo
Event |
Clindamycin |
Placebo |
7 Day
n=180 |
7 Day
n=184 |
Urogenital |
|
|
Vaginal moniliasis |
13.3 |
7.1 |
Vulvovaginal disorder |
6.7 |
7.1 |
Abnormal labor |
1.1 |
0.5 |
Body as a Whole |
|
|
Fungal infection |
1.7 |
0 |
Skin |
|
|
Pruritus, non-application site |
|
0 |
Other events occurring in <1% of the clindamycin vaginal cream 2% group include:
Urogenital system: dysuria, metrorrhagia, vaginal pain, and trichomonal vaginitis.
Body as a whole: upper respiratory infection.
Skin: pruritus (topical application site) and erythema.
Other clindamycin formulations:
Clindamycin vaginal cream affords minimal peak serum levels and systemic exposure (AUCs) of
clindamycin compared to 100 mg oral clindamycin dosing. Although these lower levels of exposure are
less likely to produce the common reactions seen with oral clindamycin, the possibility of these and
other reactions cannot be excluded presently. Data from well-controlled trials directly comparing
clindamycin administered orally to clindamycin administered vaginally are not available.
The following adverse reactions and altered laboratory tests have been reported with the oral or
parenteral use of clindamycin:
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain, esophagitis, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (See WARNINGS.)
Hematopoietic: Transient neutropenia (leukopenia), eosinophilia, agranulocytosis, and thrombocytopenia
have been reported. No direct etiologic relationship to concurrent clindamycin therapy could be made
in any of these reports.
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Maculopapular rash and urticaria have been observed during drug therapy.
Generalized mild to moderate morbilliform-like skin rashes are the most frequently reported of all
adverse reactions. Rare instances of erythema multiforme, some resembling Stevens-Johnson syndrome,
have been associated with clindamycin. A few cases of anaphylactoid reactions have been reported. If a
hypersensitivity reaction occurs, the drug should be discontinued.
Liver: Jaundice and abnormalities in liver function tests have been observed during clindamycin therapy.
Musculoskeletal: Rare instances of polyarthritis have been reported.
Renal: Although no direct relationship of clindamycin to renal damage has been established, renal
dysfunction as evidenced by azotemia, oliguria, and/or proteinuria has been observed in rare instances.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Clindamycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of
other neuromuscular blocking agents. Therefore, it should be used with caution in patients receiving
such agents.