Increased risk of achilles tendon rupture with quinolone antibacterial use, especially in elderly patients taking oral corticosteroids

van der Linden PD, Sturkenboom MC, Herings RM, et al. · Archives of Internal Medicine

Current quinolone use carried an adjusted OR of 4.3 (95% CI 2.4–7.8) for Achilles rupture; risk rose to OR 6.4 at age 60–79 and 20.4 at 80+, and was amplified by concurrent oral corticosteroids.

Population

UK general-practice database: 1,367 Achilles tendon rupture cases vs 50,000 controls (1988–1998)

Intervention

Current or recent fluoroquinolone exposure

Comparator

No quinolone exposure

Limitations

Case-control design within a prescription database; residual confounding by indication and comorbidity possible; absolute risk remains low in young healthy users.