title: Safety profile of sparfloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone antibiotic.
abstract: The safety profile of sparfloxacin, a newer fluoroquinolone antibiotic, was examined through an integrated analysis of safety data from 6 multicenter phase III trials. These consisted of 5 double-masked, randomized, comparative trials of sparfloxacin (a 400-mg oral loading dose followed by 200 mg/d for 10 days) versus standard therapies (erythromycin, cefaclor, ofloxacin, clarithromycin, and ciprofloxacin) and I open-label trial (noncomparative) in patients with: community-acquired pneumonia (2 trials); acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (1 trial); acute maxillary sinusitis (2 trials, one of which was the noncomparative trial); and complicated skin and skin-structure infections (1 trial). Overall, 401 (25.3%) of 1585 patients treated with sparfloxacin and 374 (28.1%) of 1331 receiving a comparator regimen experienced at least 1 adverse event considered to be related to the study medication. Photosensitivity reactions, usually of mild-to-moderate severity, were seen more frequently with sparfloxacin (7.4%) than with comparator agents (0.5%), whereas gastrointestinal reactions (diarrhea, nausea, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, vomiting, and flatulence), insomnia, and taste perversion were more common in patients taking comparator drugs (22.3% vs 12.1%, 4.3% vs 1.5%, and 2.9% vs 1.2%, respectively). Analysis of electrocardiographic findings showed that the mean change from baseline in QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) was significantly greater in sparfloxacin-treated patients (10 msec) than in patients given comparator drugs (3 msec), but no associated ventricular arrhythmias were detected. Adverse events led to discontinuation of study medication in 104 (6.6%) patients receiving sparfloxacin and 118 (8.9%) given com parator drugs. Sparfloxacin may be considered an appropriate choice for the treatment of certain community-acquired infections for patients who are not at risk for photosensitivity reactions or adverse events associated with prolongation of the QTc interval.
authors: University of Washington and VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle 98108-1597, USA.
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: Lipsky
authors: M B
authors: MB
authors: Dorr
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Magner
authors: G H
authors: GH
authors: Talbot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy; D015363:Quinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D015363:Quinolones; C061363:sparfloxacin