Incidence of antibiotic-related diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis: a prospective study of lincomycin, clindamycin and ampicillin.

An existing intensive drug monitoring system was used to study the occurrence of pseudomembranous colitis and diarrhoea in 100 patients treated with lincomycin and clindamycin. In order to give perspective to the results an equal number of matched patients treated with ampicillin were also studied. The incidences of diarrhoea in both groups were similar (11% in the lincomycin-clindamycin group and 8% in the ampicillin group). One patient developed pseudomembranous colitis associated with two prolonged courses of lincomycin therapy. The results suggest that the risks associated with the use of lincomycin are acceptable if the drug is given for the approved specific indications.