FATALITY DUE TO AGRANULOCYTOSIS FOLLOWING USE OF PHENYLBUTAZONE (BUTAZOLIDIN®)

Abstract

There have been several reports in the literature recently concerning the beneficial effects of phenylbutazone (butazolidin®) in all forms of arthritis and associated disorders. Although toxic reactions to this new drug have been noted in the form of nausea, vomiting, edema, drug rash, reactivation of peptic ulcer, thrombocytopenia, and anemia, there have been only four reported cases of agranulocytosis. All of these patients recovered following cessation of the therapy. We have observed a case of agranulocytosis with a fatal outcome following use of phenylbutazone. REPORT OF CASE A 74-year-old white male retired Army officer entered the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital with a chief complaint of progressive rheumatoid arthritis of 33 years' duration. The onset of arthritis began with involvement of the knees, ankles, and interphalangeal joints, and progressed to involve the shoulders and elbows with typical deformities of rheumatoid arthritis and eventually invalidism. The therapy through the years included all