Influence of long-term oral application of quinolones on the ECG curve in dogs

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of enrofloxacin and pradofloxacin administered orally for 14 days on the ECG in dogs. The ECG was performed before and after a 14 day period of quinolone administration. There was an increase in the QTc and the TpTe interval in the group treated with quinolones. QTc was prolonged by 24 ms (p=0.001). The TpTe interval was shortened, on average, by 6.55 ms (p=0.048). In the group treated with enrofloxacin, QTc was prolonged by 16.27 ms (p=0.006) and the TpTe interval was shortened by 9.64 ms (p=0.050), the TpTe/QT index was reduced by 0.034 (p=0.050) on average. In dogs treated with pradofloxacin, QTc was prolonged by 21.55 ms (p=0.012) on average. The results suggest that a prolonged administration of quinolones can increase the risk of arrhythmias. Furthermore, different generations of these drugs increase this risk to various degrees. The study proved that second generation quinolones, such as enrofloxacin, significantly change the phase of depolarization and repolarization of the ventricles, at the same time increasing the risk of ventricular arrythmia. Pradofloxacin does not change the TpTe and TpTe/QT values, so it is safer in use.