Quinolone induced arthropathy in adolescents and adults

ABSTRACT

To ascertain the incidence, clinical pattern and outcome of arthropathy in adolescents and adults induced by different quinolones. Cases of enteric fever treated with different quinolones having no previous history of joint disorders who developed arthropathy and improved well with conservative treatment were labelled as quinolone induced arthropathy. In-patients of Rajshahi and Khulna Medical College Hospitals and private clinics of the authors. Four hundred and three cases of enteric fever were treated with various quinolones during the period January 1995 to June 1999. Main outcome measures: Clinical characteristics, incidence, relation with quinolones used and outcome of quinolone induced arthropathy. The age of the 403 [males 260 and females 143] patient ranged from 13-60 years. They were treated with either ciprofloxacin, pefloxacin or ofloxacin. Out of them 31 [7.7%] patients developed arthropathy. It was highest with pefloxacin [12.5%]. The arthropathy was maximum [11.8%] in the age group of 11-20 years. Patterns of arthropathy were oligoarthropathy [23], polyarthropathy [7] and monoarthropathy [1]. Although quinolones use is not advocated in children for development of arthropathy, it also occurs in adolescents and adults in considerable number of cases. It improves well with conservative treatment without residual effect