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Real-World Practices of Fluoroquinolone Prophylaxis in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: A Longitudinal Study from a Tertiary Care Center in North India

Malviya A, Panda PK, Sharma A, Kant R, Bairwa M, Panwar V, Solanki B, Dua R

2026

Abstract

Background and objectives: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a life-threatening complication of cirrhosis with ascites, carrying one- and two-year mortality rates exceeding 70% and 80%, respectively. Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis is the cornerstone of SBP prevention. Real- world longitudinal data on prescribing practices and clinical outcomes from Indian tertiary care centers are sparse. We aimed to evaluate fluoroquinolone prescribing patterns, guideline adherence, and six-month clinical outcomes in SBP patients at a tertiary academic center in North India.

Methods: This was a pre-specified sub-analysis of a 15-month analytical longitudinal study at AIIMS Rishikesh. Adults (age ≥18 years) admitted with SBP and initiated on fluoroquinolone prophylaxis were enrolled consecutively and followed for six months. Prescribing practices were compared against EASL and AASLD recommendations. The primary outcome was the rate of guideline-directed prescribing. Secondary outcomes included clinical cure at discharge, six- month cure, relapse, regimen modification, adverse drug reactions, and treatment compliance. Categorical variables were compared by Fisher’s exact test or chi-squared test (SPSS).

Results: Forty-eight SBP patients were included (mean age 44.75 ± 11.94 years; 85.4% male). Guideline-directed fluoroquinolone prophylaxis was prescribed to all patients (100%). Norfloxacin 400 mg once daily was predominant (85.4%), followed by levofloxacin (10.4%) and moxifloxacin…

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