zithromax and Hyperemia

Bacterial conjunctivitis is characterized by hyperemia and discharge of one or both eyes. These clinical signs appear quickly and are contagious. This study compares the clinical efficacy (signs and symptoms) and safety of azithromycin 1.5% eye drops with tobramycin 0.3%.. This was a multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked study including 1,043 patients with purulent bacterial conjunctivitis. Patients received either azithromycin twice daily for 3 days or tobramycin, 1 drop every 2 hours for 2 days, then four times daily for 5 days. The primary variable was clinical cure at the test-of-cure (TOC) visit (D9) on the worst eye. The cure was defined as bulbar conjunctival injection and discharge scores of 0. Clinical signs were evaluated at D0, D3, and D9.. In the azithromycin group 87.8% of patients and in the tobramycin group 89.4% were clinically cured at D9. Clinical cure with azithromycin was not inferior to tobramycin at D9: discharge was absent in 96.3% of patients treated with azithromycin and 95.1% with tobramycin. Azithromycin was well tolerated.. Azithromycin 1.5% for 3 days (six drops) was as effective as tobramycin for 7 days (36 drops). Furthermore, patients on azithromycin presented earlier clinical cure on Day 3 than patients on tobramycin. Azyter, with its convenient dosing (bid for 3 days), is a step forward in the management of purulent bacterial conjunctivitis.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Azithromycin; Child; Child, Preschool; Conjunctiva; Conjunctivitis, Bacterial; Edema; Erythema; Eyelid Diseases; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hyperemia; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Middle Aged; Ophthalmic Solutions; Safety; Single-Blind Method; Suppuration; Tobramycin; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

To evaluate the effects of oral azithromycin in patients with posterior blepharitis.. Twenty-six eyes of 13 patients with posterior blepharitis diagnosed by a qualified ophthalmologist were enrolled in this study. Patients were instructed to use oral azithromycin 500 mg per day for 3 days in 3 cycles with 7-day intervals. Subjective clinical outcomes were graded and scored 1 day before and 30 days after the end of the treatment (53 days after initiating the treatment) based on severity scores of: (1) eyelid debris; (2) eyelid telangiectasia; (3) swelling of the eyelid margin; (4) redness of the eyelid margin; and (5) ocular mucus secretion. For the assessment of global efficacy, patients were asked by the investigator to rate the subjective symptoms (eyelid itching, ocular itching, eyelid hyperemia, ocular hyperemia, ocular mucus secretion, photophobia, foreign body sensation, and dry eye sensation) on a scale of 0 (no symptoms) to 5 (severe symptoms). Break-up time, Schirmer I test, corneal fluorescein staining score, and rose bengal staining score were also performed in all patients.. All clinical outcomes scoring showed statistically significant improvement after oral azithromycin, except for eyelid swelling. Average subjective symptom grading improved statistically after treatment with oral azithromycin, except for eyelid hyperemia, photophobia, and foreign body sensation. Average tear film break-up time values showed statistically significant improvement after the treatment with oral azithromycin. No statistically significant improvement was observed on average values of Schirmer I test, corneal fluorescein staining score, and rose bengal staining score.. The combination of multiple clinical parameters shown in this study supports the clinical efficacy of pulsed oral azithromycin therapy for the management of posterior blepharitis.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Azithromycin; Blepharitis; Eye Infections, Bacterial; Female; Humans; Hyperemia; Male; Meibomian Glands; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Pruritus; Pulse Therapy, Drug; Tears; Treatment Outcome