Fulminant hepatic failure associated with intravenous erythromycin lactobionate.

Fatal fulminant hepatic failure accompanied by brisk hemolysis developed in an elderly man after intravenous administration of erythromycin lactobionate for a lower respiratory infection. To our knowledge, this is the first case of fatal hepatotoxicity associated with intravenous erythromycin therapy. Erythromycin should be added to the list of drugs that can cause fulminant hepatic failure.