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Ciprofloxacin for the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea infection in adolescents: does the benefit outweigh the risk?
Clinical Infectious Diseases 2002;35(Suppl 2):S191-S199.
Burstein GR, Berman SM, Blumer JL, Moran JS.
Abstract
The highest rates of reported gonorrhea infections occur among adolescent females
aged 15-19 years. Among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended
single-dose gonorrhea treatment regimens, ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone
antibiotic, is approximately half the cost of other CDC-recommended oral
treatment regimens. Fluoroquinolone use in patients aged <18 years has
been limited because of irreversible articular cartilage damage demonstrated
in large, weight-bearing joints of young animals. We reviewed the medical
literature to assess whether the risks of a single 500-mg dose of ciprofloxacin
to treat uncomplicated gonorrhea infection in adolescents appears to outweigh
the benefits. We found no reports of irreversible cartilage toxicity or age-associated
adverse events in 5236 human children and adolescents (aged 5 days-24 years)
treated with a total of 5486 courses of fluoroquinolones.