GROWTH AND JOINT SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN TREATED WITH NALIDIXIC-ACID

To analyze the effects of quinolones on growth and joints in children we identified 78 patients who had been receiving nalidixic acid for 11 6 days on the average (range, 3 to 570 days) from a random sample of 3 094 of 16409 children treated with long term medication because of rec urrent urinary tract infection. Two controls per each index case, matc hed for sex and the age at which the first medication for recurrent ur inary tract infection occurred, were chosen. Frequency of joint sympto ms and examinations or possible treatments for arthropathies were simi lar in the index (n = 44) and control (n = 62) cases. Detailed growth data mere analyzed from 39 case-control pairs after the mean follow-up time of 19.6 years (range, 14.8 to 24.7 years), and no growth disturb ances were found. The final heights (age, >18 years) of the index and control cases were similar (n = 31 case-control pairs). We conclude th at nalidixic acid does not cause arthropathies or hamper growth in chi ldren, which supports the suggestion that at least short treatment per iods with quinolones are safe.