A Retrospective, Comparative Evaluation of Dysglycemias in Hospitalized Patients Receiving Gatifloxacin, Levofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, or Ceftriaxone

Study Objectives. To compare rates of blood glucose abnormalities in hospitalized patients receiving fluoroquinolones or ceftriaxone, and to describe the characteristics of patients who develop blood glucose abnormalities while receiving these agents. Design. Retrospective chart review. Setting. Two community‐based hospitals in the Houston, Texas, region. Patients. Seventeen thousand one hundred eight patients who received fluoroquinolones or ceftriaxone; of those, 101 received levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, or ceftriaxone and also had serum glucose concentrations above 200 or below 50 mg/dl within 72 hours of receiving the drug. Measurements and Main Results. Baseline demographics of patients with glucose abnormalities while receiving gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, or ceftriaxone were similar. Mean ± SD patient age, weight, and estimated creatinine clearance were 67 ± 17 years, 79 ± 21 kg, and 52 ± 32 ml/minute, respectively. Dysglycemia rates relative to treatment were as follows: gatifloxacin 76 (1.01%) of 7540 patients, levofloxacin 11 (0.93%) of 1179, ceftriaxone 14 (0.18%) of 7844, ciprofloxacin 0 (0%) of 545, and any fluoroquinolone 87 (0.94%) of 9264. Dysglycemia was more likely to occur in patients receiving any fluoroquinolone than in those receiving ceftriaxone (relative risk [RR] 3.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.31–4.78, p