Abstract
Purpose
This randomized, investigator-masked study aimed to compare the clinical and microbiological effectiveness of three times daily administration of levofloxacin 0.5% eyedrops with the classic, more frequent dosing in patients with bacterial conjunctivitis.
Methods
A total of 120 patients with symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis were enrolled. The patients were randomly assigned to receive 0.5% levofloxacin eyedrops three times daily to each eye for 5 days (experimental dosage group), or every 2 hours on days 1 and 2, and then every 4 hours on days 3–5 (up to four times per day) (classic dosage group). Ocular symptoms and signs were assessed on day 1, days 3 to 4, and 7 ± 1 visits. Conjunctival cultures were obtained at baseline and final visits. Clinical outcomes were based on resolution of cardinal signs. Microbial outcomes were based on culture results.
Results
Eighty-six patients (41 experimental dosage, 45 classic dosage) were evaluated. There was no difference between the groups in frequency of patients with clinical outcome resolved (85.4% in experimental vs 93.3% in classic dosage group, p=0.3). The microbial eradication rates did not differ statistically between the groups (92.7% vs 95.6%, respectively, p=0.67).
Conclusions
There was no statistically significant difference in the efficacy or safety between the two methods of drug administration. Analysis of the results of compliance supported our conclusion that the less frequent method of dosing of 0.5% levofloxacin eyedrops was more convenient for patients and resulted in better adherence to the drug-dosing scheme
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