Try Nirmala Sari1, Sumardi2, Heni Retnowulan2, Barmawi Hisyam2, Bambang Sigit Riyanto2, Eko Budiono2, Ika Trisnawati2
1 Resident of Department of Internal Medicine, FK UGM/RSUP Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta
2Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, FK UGM/RSUP Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta
ABSTRACT
Background: Second line anti tuberculosis drug in MDR-TB patients is notorious for having several side effects. Ethionamide is anti tuberculosis drug that is used as a second line therapy in MDR-TB patient management. Hypothyroid is an important side effect in ethionamide administration. Cycloserine is in the fourth group of second line therapy that acts as bacteriostatics. Psychiatric side effects such as anxiety, hallucination, depression, euphoria, habit alteration, and suicide are reported in 9,7%-50% of patients in cycloserine therapy. Case Presentation: A 46 year-old lady with MDR-TB started her second line anti TB drugs therapy since January 2016. Her regimen included levofloxacin, cycloserine, ethionamide, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and PAS (Para- Aminosalicylic Acid). Therapy evaluation in the first month control founded fatigueness, reduced communication, self-secluding, and behaviour alteration. Patient often felt sad, desperate, and had a lot of thought on her illness. Patient also had thoughts of suicide. Patient was then hospitalized and was diagnosed by psychiatry department with TB drugs -possibly cycloserine-induced depression episode. Then, cycloserine therapy was stopped. And at the same time, laboratory result showed an increase in TSH without hypothyroid symptoms. Levothyroxin 1x100 mcg was administered. In the third month of therapy, patient returned with a much higher TSH level, then ethionamide was stopped for 3 months. Evaluation was conducted post ethionamide cessation and found well-controlled TSH level. Ethionamide was then continued with titration doses per month.
Conclusion: In MDR-TB therapy, potential complication of ethionamide administration should be considered carefully. Severe neurotoxicity caused by cycloserine can be managed by delaying the drug use temporarily. It is also worth considered that hypothyroid state can exhibit depression symptoms therefore careful monitoring of the side effects of anti TB drug therapy is needed.
Keywords: Multi drug resistant, tuberculosis, drug-induced hypothyroid, drug-induced psychosis.