Adverse drug reactions to fluoroquinolones at a tertiary care hospital in northern India.

Use of fluoroquinolones has increased considerably in the last 5-6 years in our hospitals. With a view to ascertain their safety and the type of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in our population, spontaneous reports were collected and analysed to ciprofloxacin (the most prescribed fluoroquinolone in our hospital) over a period of three and a half years. The pattern of reactions were rash in 18, severe reactions like Steven Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in 4, gastritis and diarrhoea in 3, shivering and rigors in 2, hemorrhagic purpuric spots in 2 and oedema of eye and lids with topical application in 1 patient. Most cases recovered on stoppage of the drug and symptomatic treatment. However, one case of SJS and one of TEN proved fatal. Care needs to be exercised in their use and they do not appear to be innocuous to severe and disturbing ADRs.