Systemic Quinolones and Risk of Retinal Detachment II: Systematic Review of Clinical Trials

Introduction: Quinolones represent a popular group of antibiotics that is favored by physicians due to their potency, broad-spectrum, unique mechanism of action, and reasonable safety. Concerns have been raised about a possible association between quinolones and retinal detachment (RD). Despite the emergence of resistance and availability of other treatment alternatives, quinolones remain a popular choice among physicians worldwide. Areas covered: This systematic review examined all original clinical trials in which a quinolone antibiotic was tested or used as a comparator, for evidence on occurrences of retinal detachment. We examined four major bibliographic databases, eight clinical trial registries, and grey literature sources including international conference proceedings, drug review networks and databases of pharmaceutical companies for ongoing or unpublished studies. This systematic review has been conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and has been registered in PROSPERO: CRD42020148747. Expert opinion: We identified 1,554 original studies that examined quinolone antibiotics between 1974-2020 on participants of different ages, ethnic/racial backgrounds, and health status. Among the 145 eligible trials identified, no cases of retinal detachment were reported. There was no evidence from clinical trials to question systemically administered quinolone antibiotics as a cause of retinal detachment in persons with no history of eye diseases.