Cefuroxime-induced thrombocytopenia: It’s just not in the ring??

Beta lactams are one of the most commonly used antibiotic groups in clinical practice, owing to their relatively superior safety profile, when weighed against other available antibiotics. Cephalosporins have overgrown over the years, now extending across five generations of drugs. Older cephalosporins are still commonly used, chiefly because of their low cost and minimal adverse effects. However, no drug is entirely free of adverse effects. Cephalosporins (especially those with a methylthiotetrazole ring) have been associated with bleeding manifestations due to hypoprothrombinemia and thrombocytopenia in susceptible subsets of the global population. This case report concerns the use of a cephalosporin that does not have this ring in its structure but has still caused a rare instance of thrombocytopenia.