Agranulocytosis: an adverse effect of allopurinol treatment

Abstract

Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor that is primarily used to treat hyperuricemia and its complications. The drug is rarely associated with adverse effects, but those that occur can be significant. Hematologic side effects, including bone marrow suppression, severe anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia, have been reported in 0.2-0.6% of treated patients. We report a case of agranulocytosis associated with allopurinol therapy in a patient admitted for fever.