Alternative Names
Chloramphenicol toxicity in newborns
Definition of Gray syndrome
Gray syndrome is a dangerous condition that occurs in newborns (especially premature babies) who are given the drug chloramphenicol.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Chloramphenicol is a drug used to fight bacterial infections, including meningitis. If given to a newborn, however, high doses of this drug can trigger a potentially deadly poisonous reaction.
Symptoms
Symptoms usually begin 2 to 9 days after treatment has been started. They include:
Treatment
Overdoses can be treated with an exchange transfusion, which involves removing portions (aliquots) of the baby’s blood and replacing it with donated blood.
Review
David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. – 12/7/2009
