Efficacy of topical antibiotic therapy in acute conjunctivitis in children. Chloramphenicol treatment for acute infective conjunctivitis in children in primary care: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. The treatment of acute infectious conjunctivitis with fusidic acid: a randomised controlled trial. Microbiological efficacy of a new ophthalmic formulation of moxifloxacin dosed twice-daily for bacterial conjunctivitis. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% in patients with bacterial conjunctivitis: A multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, 5-day efficacy and safety study. Efficacy and tolerability of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% administered twice daily for 3 days in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis: a multicenter, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study in adults and children. Topical amphotericin B and subconjunctival injection of fluconazole (combination therapy) versus topical amphotericin B (monotherapy) in treatment of keratomycosis. Antibacterial effectiveness of ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Treatment of chronic staphylococcal blepharoconjunctivitis with a new topical steroid anti-infective ophthalmic solution.
We studied 102 children aged 1 month to 18 years in a randomized, double-blind trial designed to determine both the natural history of bacterial conjunctivitis and whether topical antibiotic therapy is beneficial. Affected eyes were treated four times a day for 7 days with drug (polymyxin-bacitracin ophthalmic ointment) or placebo. Eighty-four patients had proved bacterial conjunctivitis (Haemophilus influenzae 61, Streptococcus pneumoniae 22, both one); 66 of these received only topical therapy. By 3 to 5 days, 21 of 34 (62%) patients receiving topical antibiotic were clinically cured, whereas only nine of 32 (28%) patients given placebo were cured (P less than 0.02). By 8 to 10 days, 31 (91%) of the patients given antibiotic and 23 (72%) of the placebo group were cured (P = NS). The bacterial pathogen was eradicated by day 3 to 5 in 71% and by day 8 to 10 in 79% of patients given antibiotic, compared to 19% and 31% of the placebo group (P less than 0.001). Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a self-limited disease, but topical antibiotic therapy with polymyxin-bacitracin shortens the duration of clinical disease and enhances eradication of the causative organism from the conjunctiva. One in eight schoolchildren have an episode of acute infective conjunctivitis every year. Standard clinical practice is to prescribe a topical antibiotic, although the evidence to support this practice is scarce. We undertook a randomised double-blind trial to compare the effectiveness of chloramphenicol eye drops with placebo in children with infective conjunctivitis in primary care.
                Our study included 326 children aged 6 months to 12 years with a clinical diagnosis of conjunctivitis who were recruited from 12 general medical practices in the UK. We assigned 163 children to receive chloramphenicol eye drops and 163 to receive placebo eye drops. Eye swabs were taken for bacterial and viral analysis. The primary outcome was clinical cure at day 7, which was assessed from diaries completed by parents. All children were followed up for 6 weeks to identify relapse. Survival statistics were used for comparison, and analysis was by intention to treat.
                Nine children were lost to follow-up (one in chloramphenicol group; eight in placebo group). Clinical cure by day 7 occurred in 128 (83%) of 155 children with placebo compared with 140 (86%) of 162 with chloramphenicol (risk difference 3.8%, 95% CI -4.1% to 11.8%). Seven (4%) children with chloramphenicol and five (3%) with placebo had further conjunctivitis episodes within 6 weeks (1.2%, -2.9% to 5.3%). Adverse events were rare and evenly distributed between each group.
                Most children presenting with acute infective conjunctivitis in primary care will get better by themselves and do not need treatment with an antibiotic. Acute infectious conjunctivitis is a common disorder in primary care. Despite a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of topical antibiotics for the treatment of acute infectious conjunctivitis, most patients presenting in primary care with the condition receive topical antibiotics. In The Netherlands, fusidic acid is most frequently prescribed.
                To assess the effectiveness of fusidic acid gel compared to placebo for acute infectious conjunctivitis.
                Double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial.
                Twenty-five Dutch primary care centres.
                Adults presenting with a red eye and either (muco)purulent discharge or glued eyelid(s) were allocated to either one drop of fusidic acid gel 1% or placebo, four times daily during one week. The main outcome measure was the difference in recovery rates at 7 days. Secondary outcome measures were difference in bacterial eradication rates, a survival time analysis of the duration of symptoms, and the difference in recovery rates in culture-positive and culture-negative patients.
                One hundred and eighty-one patients were randomised and 163 patients were analysed. Forty-five of the 73 patients in the treatment and 53 of the 90 patients in the placebo group recovered (adjusted risk difference = 5.3% [95% confidence interval {CI} = -11 to 18]). There was no difference between the median duration of symptoms in the two groups. At baseline, the prevalence of a positive bacterial culture was 32% (58/181). The bacterial eradication rate was 76% in the treatment and 41% in the placebo group (risk difference = 35% [95% CI = 9.3 to 60.4]). In culture positive patients, the treatment effect tended to be strong (adjusted risk difference = 23% [95% CI = -6 to 42]).
                At 7 days, cure rates in the fusidic acid gel and placebo group were similar, but the confidence interval was too wide to clearly demonstrate their equivalence. These findings do not support the current prescription practices of fusidic acid by GPs. An alternative formulation of 0.5% moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution (Moxeza, MOXI-AF, Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX, USA) containing xanthan gum to prolong retention on the eye has been developed. MOXI-AF was designed to optimize the treatment regimen for bacterial conjunctivitis for the convenience of the patient with twice-daily dosing.
                A safety and efficacy clinical study was conducted as a multicenter, vehiclecontrolled, randomized, double-masked, parallel group study in clinically diagnosed bacterial conjunctivitis patients aged >28 days. MOXI-AF or its vehicle was dosed one drop twice-daily for 3 days. Microbiological specimens were obtained from affected eyes on day 1, prior to the initial dose, and on day 4 after 3 days of dosing, and processed using routine clinical microbiology laboratory methods. All recovered bacteria were identified to the species level.
                This paper reports on the microbiological success rate, a secondary efficacy variable in the trial. All patients (1180) were randomized to treatment. Patient age ranged from 30 days to 92 years. The microbiological success rate for patients treated topically with MOXI-AF twice-daily for 3 days was 74.5%, compared with 56.0% of patients treated with its vehicle control (P<0.0001). MOXI-AF was also statistically more effective than vehicle in eradicating the three principle conjunctivitis pathogens, Haemophilus influenzae (98.5% vs. 59.6%, respectively), Streptococcus pneumoniae (86.4% vs. 50.0%, respectively), and Staphylococcus aureus (94.1% vs. 80.0%, respectively) (P<0.001).
                The xanthan gum-based 0.5% moxifloxacin ophthalmic formulation, MOXI-AF, provides effective eradication of the three principle causative pathogens of bacterial conjunctivitis across all age groups when dosed twice-daily for 3 days. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% is a new topical fluoroquinolone for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Besifloxacin has potent in vitro activity against a broad spectrum of ocular pathogens, including drug-resistant strains.
                The primary objective of this study was to compare the clinical and microbiologic efficacy of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% with that of vehicle (the formulation without besifloxacin) in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.
                This was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study in patients with acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Patients received either topical besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension or vehicle administered 3 times daily for 5 days. At study entry and on days 4 and 8 (visits 2 and 3), a clinical assessment of ocular signs and symptoms was performed in both eyes, as well as pinhole visual acuity testing, biomicroscopy, and culture of the infected eye(s). An ophthalmoscopic examination was performed at study entry and on day 8. The primary efficacy outcome measures were clinical resolution and eradication of the baseline bacterial infection on day 8 in culture-confirmed patients. The safety evaluation included adverse events, changes in visual acuity, and biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy findings in all patients who received at least 1 dose of active treatment or vehicle.
                The safety population consisted of 269 patients (mean [SD] age, 34.2 [22.3] years; 60.2% female; 82.5% white) with acute bacterial conjunctivitis. The culture-confirmed intent-to-treat population consisted of 118 patients (60 besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 58 vehicle). Significantly more patients receiving besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension than vehicle had clinical resolution of the baseline infection at visit 3 (44/60 [73.3%] vs 25/58 [43.1%], respectively; P < 0.001). Rates of bacterial eradication also were significantly greater with besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension compared with vehicle at visit 3 (53/60 [88.3%] vs35/58 [60.3%]; P < 0.001). The cumulative frequency of adverse events did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (69/137 [50.4%] and 70/132 [53.0%]). The most common ocular adverse events were eye pain (20/190 treated eyes [10.5%] and 13/188 [6.9%]), blurred vision (20/190 [10.5%] and 22/188 [11.7%]), and eye irritation (14/190 [7.4%] and 23/188 [12.2%]); these events were of mild or moderate severity. Changes in visual acuity and treatment-emergent events observed on biomicroscopy and direct ophthalmoscopy also were comparable between treatment groups.
                Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% given 3 times daily for 5 days was both efficacious and well tolerated compared with vehicle in the treatment of these patients with bacterial conjunctivitis. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00622908. Besifloxacin is a topical fluoroquinolone with potent in vitro activity against a broad spectrum of ocular pathogens, including drug-resistant strains. Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% given 3 times daily for 5 days has been reported to be more effective than its vehicle in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling suggests that besifloxacin might also be effective given twice daily.
                This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% administered twice daily for 3 days compared with vehicle (formulation without besifloxacin) in the treatment of adults and children with bacterial conjunctivitis.
                This was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study. Patients aged ≥1 year with bacterial conjunctivitis were randomized to receive besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension or vehicle administered twice daily for 3 days. There were 3 study visits: the baseline visit, visit 2 (day 4 or 5), and visit 3 (day 7±1). Participants recorded the times of medication instillation in a patient diary. The primary end points were clinical resolution and bacterial eradication of the baseline bacterial infection at visit 2 in patients with culture-confirmed bacterial conjunctivitis. Secondary end points were clinical resolution and bacterial eradication of the baseline bacterial infection at visit 3, individual clinical outcomes (ocular conjunctival discharge and bulbar conjunctival injection) at the follow-up visits, and microbial and clinical outcomes for overall bacterial species and individual gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial species. Tolerability assessments included ocular adverse events (AEs), changes in visual acuity, biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy findings, and nonocular AEs.
                Of 202 patients randomized to treatment (mean [SD] age, 25.2 [24.3] years; 56.9% female; 76.7% white), 109 had culture-confirmed bacterial conjunctivitis (53 besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 56 vehicle). At visit 2, the besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension group had significantly greater rates of clinical resolution compared with the vehicle group (37/53 [69.8%] vs 21/56 [37.5%], respectively; P < 0.001), as well as significantly greater rates of bacterial eradication (46/53 [86.8%] vs 32/56 [57.1%]; P < 0.001). At visit 3, rates of bacterial eradication were also significantly greater in the besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension group compared with the vehicle group (46/53 [86.8%] vs 39/56 [69.6%]; P = 0.038). Results for the individual clinical outcomes and microbial and clinical outcomes by gram-positive and gram-negative species were consistent with the primary efficacy outcomes. The incidence of ocular AEs did not differ significantly between treatment groups (4/94 [4.3%] vs 8/98 [8.2%]). Ocular AEs in all treated eyes in the respective groups included bacterial conjunctivitis (3/157 [1.9%] and 5/154 [3.2%]), conjunctivitis (3/157 [1.9%] and 4/154 [2.6%]), and allergic conjunctivitis (2/157 [1.3%] and 1/154 [0.6%]). These events were of mild or moderate severity. Changes in visual acuity and biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy findings were comparable between groups. There were few nonocular AEs (2/94 [2.1%] vs 3/98 [3.1%]; P = NS), none of them considered treatment related.
                In these adults and children with bacterial conjunctivitis, treatment with besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% administered twice daily for 3 days was effective and well tolerated. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00972777.
                Copyright © 2011 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. Published by EM Inc USA. All rights reserved. The aim of the study was to compare the use of combination therapy of topical amphotericin B (0.5 mg/mL) eye drops together with subconjunctival injection of fluconazole (2 mg/mL) with the use of topical amphotericin B (0.5 mg/mL) eye drops alone in dealing with cases of fungal keratitis.
                The study was performed in the Ophthalmology Department, Zagazig University and included 48 eyes of 48 patients who presented clinically with fungal keratitis. Laboratory investigations were performed, including direct microscopy of corneal smear using gram staining and culture of corneal specimens using Saboraud agar media and bacterial agar media. According to laboratory results, cases were classified into 2 groups: group 1 comprising 24 eyes treated by a combination therapy of topical amphotericin B eye drops (0.5 mg/mL) with subconjunctival injection of fluconazole (2 mg/mL) and group 2 comprising 24 eyes treated by topical amphotericin B eye drops (0.5 mg/mL) alone.
                Direct corneal smear for all 48 eyes included in the study revealed 18 eyes (38%) with positive fungal spores, 3 of them (6%) with gram-positive bacterial infection. Fungal culture of corneal specimens revealed positive result in 36 eyes (75%), including the positive corneal smear cases showing Candida in 12 eyes and filamentous fungi in 24 eyes. Treatment by a combination therapy in group 1 revealed statistically significant result (P < 0.05) of healing of corneal ulcers in 20 eyes (83%), with a mean duration of healing of 31 days (standard deviation [SD] +/-3), in comparison to group 2 with monotherapy, which revealed 16 eyes (67%), with a mean duration of healing of 37 days (SD +/-2).
                Combination therapy of topical amphotericin B eye drops with subconjunctival injection of fluconazole was more efficient (according to the percentage and the duration of healing of the ulcers) than the use of topical amphotericin B eye drops alone in dealing with cases of fungal keratitis--it may be contributed to the broad spectrum of the antifungal agents of the combination therapy than the monotherapy. Two hundred eighty-eight cases of culture-proven bacterial conjunctivities were evaluated as part of two multicentered, randomized, prospective clinical studies comparing the antibacterial efficacy of topically administered ciprofloxacin 0.3% either with a placebo or with tobramycin 0.3%. In the first study, ciprofloxacin was significantly (P less than .001) more effective than the placebo. It eradicated or reduced the various bacterial pathogens in 93.6% of patients, compared to 59.5% for the placebo. In the second study, ciprofloxacin (94.5%) and tobramycin (91.9%) were equally effective. Topically applied ciprofloxacin eradicated or reduced all isolated bacterial species, attesting to its broad antibacterial spectrum and its potential usefulness in treating external ocular infections. Gentamicin sulfate and betamethasone phosphate were combined in solution form for topical ophthalmic use in patients with chronic staphylococcal blepharoconjunctivitis. The study involved 79 patients and was a two-week double-blind placebo controlled trial comparing the combination with its individual components and placebo. Lid cultures showed that the combination and gentamicin were significantly superior to placebo or betamethasone in freeing the lids of staphylococcus. In addition, the patients treated with either the combination or betamethasone showed greater improvement in the total objective signs than those patients treated with either gentamicin or placebo at the first follow-up visit. No drug-related adverse reactions occurred in the combination treatment group.
Although acute bacterial conjunctivitis is frequently self limiting, the findings from this updated systematic review suggest that the use of antibiotic eye drops is associated with modestly improved rates of clinical and microbiological remission in comparison to the use of placebo. Use of antibiotic eye drops should therefore be considered in order to speed the resolution of symptoms and infection.