Which population is at higher risk for tendon rupture when taking fluoroquinolones?

Which population is at higher risk for tendon rupture when taking fluoroquinolones?

• A. Elderly
• B. Children under 2
• C. Pregnant women
• D. Adults aged 20-30

Answer: (A)

Fluoroquinolones can cause tendinopathy and even tendon rupture by affecting tendon collagen and the tissue’s ability to repair. This risk climbs as people age because aging tendons become weaker and heal more slowly, and older adults often have other factors that increase injury risk, such as chronic illnesses or use of medicines like corticosteroids. Those factors—plus a higher baseline likelihood of tendon degeneration—explain why the elderly are at higher risk when taking fluoroquinolones. In contrast, younger groups typically have healthier tendons and fewer of these compounding risk factors, and in practice fluoroquinolones are used more cautiously or avoided in populations like very young children and pregnant women due to other safety concerns, which is why they aren’t viewed as having the same elevated rupture risk. Adults in their 20s to 30s generally have the lowest baseline risk among these groups.

Fluoroquinolones can cause tendinopathy and even tendon rupture by affecting tendon collagen and the tissue’s ability to repair. This risk climbs as people age because aging tendons become weaker and heal more slowly, and older adults often have other factors that increase injury risk, such as chronic illnesses or use of medicines like corticosteroids. Those factors—plus a higher baseline likelihood of tendon degeneration—explain why the elderly are at higher risk when taking fluoroquinolones.

In contrast, younger groups typically have healthier tendons and fewer of these compounding risk factors, and in practice fluoroquinolones are used more cautiously or avoided in populations like very young children and pregnant women due to other safety concerns, which is why they aren’t viewed as having the same elevated rupture risk. Adults in their 20s to 30s generally have the lowest baseline risk among these groups.