Among inpatients, the incidence of hypoglycemic events is greater after treatment with gatifloxacin than levofloxacin. The odds of experiencing hypoglycemic events are greater with gatifloxacin even after adjusting for other hypoglycemia risk factors, such as concomitant hypoglycemic drugs, renal failure, and sepsis syndrome.
Forty eight subjects ranging in age from 64 to 85 years were administered Piagetian conservation of substance, weight, and volume tasks. Quantity conservation abilities were not intact from many subjects. Males tended to exceed females on all abilities. Correlations between age and performance were low; the relationship between education and performance was positive.
Purpose
Hypoglycemic events have been reported with fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The odds of hypoglycemia after gatifloxacin and levofloxacin are unknown.
Methods
Unmatched, case‐control study of 85 in‐patients who received gatifloxacin or levofloxacin between November 2000 and November 2002 and had blood glucose less than 50 mg/dL. A random sample of controls (n=239) received gatifloxacin or levofloxacin during the same period without hypoglycemia. Logistic regression adjusted odds of hypoglycemia for significant covariates: renal failure, severity of illness, and hypoglycemic drug therapy.
Results
Unadjusted odds for exposure to gatifloxacin versus levofloxacin was 2.38 (95% CI 1.42 to 3.99) times higher for patients with low blood glucose than for controls. After adjustment for covariates, the adjusted odds for gatifloxacin versus levofloxacin was 2.02 (95% CI 1.08 to 3.79) times higher. Sensitivity analysis used a subset of 35 cases who displayed Whipple's hypoglycemic triad. Odds for gatifloxacin versus levofloxacin was 4.03 (95% CI 1.70 to 9.59) times higher in the subset cases.
Conclusion
When comparing gatifloxacin and levofloxacin, the odds of hypoglycemia are greater with gatifloxacin even after adjustment for other risk factors associated with hypoglycemia.
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P70–P70; doi:
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