title: Levofloxacin-induced bilateral Achilles tendonitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of possible levofloxacin-induced bilateral Achilles tendonitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 83-year-old white woman presented to her physician with five days of hemoptysis. She was diagnosed with right lower-lobe pneumonia based on chest X-ray, and levofloxacin 500 mg/d po for 10 days was prescribed. Three days into treatment she began having a variety of adverse effects, including severe nausea, constipation, stomach cramps, and dizziness. Signs of tendonitis began three days after treatment and peaked four days after completion of therapy. Two weeks later, she was treated by her podiatrist with an ankle immobilizer and rest. At her three-week follow-up, she had marked improvement in her pain and bruising; however, her symptoms had not completely resolved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tendonitis and tendon rupture are rare adverse effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics; there are no reports in the literature of levofloxacin-induced tendonitis. As newer fluoroquinolones become available, the postmarketing studies will become increasingly important to capture the data on rare but serious adverse effects not discovered in the premarketing trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of tendonitis caused by levofloxacin reported in the literature. Reports have been made, however, to the manufacturer via postmarketing surveillance. As more people are treated with newer fluoroquinolones, the clinical incidence of tendon rupture with these agents may become clearer.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. lewisjr.alachua@shands.ufl.edu
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gums
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dickensheets
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin