This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fanning, W. L. Articles by Sofferman, R. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fanning, W. L. Articles by Sofferman, R. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1977 April; 11(4): 712-717
Copyright © 1977 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Side Effects of Minocycline: A Double-Blind Study

^* Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont 05401
^a Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont 05401

ABSTRACT

We studied the incidence and type of side effects of minocycline in a double-blind study. A total of 45 volunteers (18 men and 27 women) were given minocycline, and 44 volunteers (23 men and 21 women) were given placebo. The men in both the minocycline and placebo groups were significantly (P < 0.0001) larger than the women in the comparable groups. Minocycline dosage was 100 mg every 12 h for 5 days, and placebo was administered in an identical manner. Minocycline serum concentrations were determined in 12 volunteers at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after the morning doses on days 1, 3, and 5 of the study. Side effects were recorded by volunteers in diaries and also through daily interviews and were evaluated by examination and electronystagmography. Peak minocycline serum concentrations were seen by day 3 and correlated with the peak onset of side effects. These concentrations were significantly higher in women than in men. Vestibular side effects occurred in 70.4% of the women on minocycline and significantly (P < 0.0001) exceeded the rate of the women on placebo (9.5%). Only loss of balance was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the men taking minocycline as contrasted with men on placebo. Electronystagmography generally revealed no abnormalities. Side effects were usually not severe: four volunteers in the minocycline group and two in the placebo group discontinued their capsules because of side effects. It is concluded that women experience an unacceptably high incidence of side effects from minocycline, and this may be related to their higher serum concentrations, which in turn may relate to their smaller size.

¹ Present address: 100 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Teitelbaum, J. E., Perez-Atayde, A. R., Cohen, M., Bousvaros, A., Jonas, M. M. (1998). Minocycline-Related Autoimmune Hepatitis: Case Series and Literature Review. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 152: 1132-1136 [Abstract] [Full Text]