Drug-induced agranulocytosis. A survey of twenty-three episodes.

Twenty-three episodes of drug-induced agranulocytosis admitted to the Beilinson Medical Center between 1960-1972 are reported. An increased incidence in patients admitted with this condition was noted over the years. Dipyrone (6 episodes in 4 patients) and chloramphenicol (5 episodes in 5 patients) were the drugs most commonly associated with this condition. Four patients died in septic shock. The increased incidence of hospital-admitted patients with drug-induced agranulocytosis is related to the increased use of drugs in the Israeli population.