Tolerance of ciprofloxacin at injection site, systemic safety and effect on electroencephalogram

The safety of ciprofloxacin, given via 30- and 60-min intravenous infusions at a dose of 300 mg every 12 h for 4 days, was studied in 12 healthy subjects (6 females, 6 males). Local effects of the drug were assessed by frequent examination at the infusion site while systemic safety was determined by haematological and biochemical tests and by careful microscopic examination of the urine for drug crystals and by electroencephalographic studies performed in all subjects before and after dosing. At the site of infusion erythema, itching and a burning sensation developed 10-15 min after onset of infusion in some subjects. These symptoms were slight and did not necessitate termination of the infusions. The rash disappeared in some instances during the infusion and in others within minutes after the end of infusion. The changes usually disappeared, even during the infusion. The incidence of the adverse reactions was not related to the duration of the infusion (30 or 60 min), but was less (frequency and extent) when the anticubital vein was used for infusion rather than when smaller more peripheral veins were employed. Thrombophlebitis occurred after 1 of 96 administrations, and was followed by a return to normal. The electroencephalograms remained normal in all instances. One subject experienced mild nausea of a few hours duration. Only 1 volunteer showed crystalluria; the two such specimens from this subject had the most alkaline pH of all urine samples collected in this study. The probability of crystalluria upon intravenous administration appears not to be higher than after oral administration of ciprofloxacin.