Fluoroquinolones in paediatrics

• Published in: Drugs (Basel) Vol. 58; no. Supplement 2; pp. 43 - 48
• Main Authors: JAFRI, H. S, MCCRACKEN, G. H
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Auckland Adis International 1999
• Subjects: Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Fluoroquinolones; Humans; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Human; Antibiotic; Fluoroquinolone derivatives; Toxicity; Treatment efficiency; Review; Antibacterial agent; Child; Quinolone derivatives
• ISSN: 0012-6667; 1179-1950
• DOI: 10.2165/00003495-199958002-00008

Fluoroquinolones have a broad spectrum of activity against gram-positive, gram-negative, and mycobacterial organisms as well as anaerobes, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Ureaplasma, and Legionella spp. They have excellent oral bioavailability, with good tissue penetration, and long elimination half-lives. The experience with fluoroquinolones in paediatrics has been limited because of concerns about arthropathy, based on findings in animal models. However, there has not been a definitive fluoroquinolone-associated case of arthropathy described in the literature. We believe that there are a number of specific paediatric infections in which the clinical efficacy and tolerability of the fluoroquinolones should be further investigated. These include patients with cystic fibrosis who have repeated infections with Pseudomonas spp., patients with pseudomonal and other gram-negative infections such as urinary tract infections and osteomyelitis, and febrile neutropenic patients. Meningeal infections caused by multiple drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and gram-negative organisms, gastroenteritis due to enteric pathogens, and mycobacterial infections are other potential conditions where fluoroquinolones should be studied in paediatric patients.