Ciprofloxacin safety in paediatrics: a systematic review

Adefurin A, Sammons H, Jacqz-Aigrain E, Choonara I · Archives of Disease in Childhood

Musculoskeletal adverse events (mainly arthralgia/arthropathy) occurred in 1.6% (95% CI 0.9–2.6%); all reported cases resolved or improved — the dramatic juvenile-animal chondrotoxicity has not translated into documented permanent human cartilage injury.

Population

16,184 paediatric patients across 105 studies of ciprofloxacin use

Intervention

Ciprofloxacin

Comparator

Varies by included study

Limitations

Adverse-event ascertainment varied; no imaging or long-term cartilage follow-up in most studies; cannot exclude subclinical effects.