Disease relevance of Ergotism

• We describe a patient who, on her fifth day of clarithromycin therapy, developed clinical ergotism (i.e., hypertension, lingual ischemia, and peripheral cyanosis) several hours after administration of her usual 2-mg dose of ergotamine tartrate [1].
• Troleandomycin can cause ergotism in patients receiving ergot alkaloids and cholestatic jaundice in those taking oral contraceptives [2].
• Ataxia can occur with carbamazepine, and ergotism with ergotamine, following the addition of a CYP3A4 inhibitor [3].
• Ischaemic peripheral neuritis secondary to ergotism associated with ritonavir therapy [4].
• Brachial artery stenosis secondary to ergotism and responsive to nifedipine [5].

High impact information on Ergotism

• Sodium nitroprusside and epidural blockade in the treatment of ergotism [6].
• Ergotism related to concurrent administration of ergotamine tartrate and indinavir [7].
• Ergotism as complication of thromboembolic prophylaxis with heparin and dihydroergotamine [8].
• Nitroglycerin infusion for ergotism [9].
• Ergotism related to interaction between nelfinavir and ergotamine [10].

Chemical compound and disease context of Ergotism

• To our knowledge, this is the first report of clinical ergotism precipitated by clarithromycin-ergotamine interaction and suggests that, like other macrolide antibiotics, ergot preparations should be avoided in patients who are taking clarithromycin [1].
• Cerebral ergotism under treatment with ergotamine and ritonavir [11].
• Nitroprusside is the drug of choice in the treatment of acute vascular insufficiency from ergotism, but in a less urgent situation, prazosin has also been effective [12].
• If the condition is left untreated, it is likely though by no means certain that the more traditional aspects of ergotism will evolve, although variable susceptibility and tolerance to ergotamine tartrate have been demonstrated [13].
• Ergotism precipitated by erythromycin: a rare case of vasospasm [14].

Gene context of Ergotism

• Their hypothesis is supported by the increased PDGF activity found in plasma of a patient suffering from chronic ergotism [15].
• Saint Anthony's fire or carpal tunnel syndrome? (a case of iatrogenic ergotism) [16].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Ergotism

• We report on an HIV-positive man who, on his 13th day of ritonavir therapy, developed severe ergotism after self-administration of low doses of ergotamine [17].

References