1. Effect of topical antibiotics on duration of acute infective conjunctivitis in children:a randomized clinical trial and a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Author
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Honkila, M. (Minna), Koskela, U. (Ulla), Kontiokari, T. (Tero), Mattila, M.-L. (Marja-Leena), Kristo, A. (Aila), Valtonen, R. (Raija), Sarlin, S. (Suvi), Paalanne, N. (Niko), Ikäheimo, I. (Irma), Pokka, T. (Tytti), Uhari, M. (Matti), Renko, M. (Marjo), Tapiainen, T. (Terhi), Honkila, M. (Minna), Koskela, U. (Ulla), Kontiokari, T. (Tero), Mattila, M.-L. (Marja-Leena), Kristo, A. (Aila), Valtonen, R. (Raija), Sarlin, S. (Suvi), Paalanne, N. (Niko), Ikäheimo, I. (Irma), Pokka, T. (Tytti), Uhari, M. (Matti), Renko, M. (Marjo), and Tapiainen, T. (Terhi)
- Abstract
Importance: Although topical antibiotics are often prescribed for treating acute infective conjunctivitis in children, their efficacy is uncertain. Objective: To assess the efficacy of topical antibiotic therapy for acute infective conjunctivitis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in primary health care in Oulu, Finland, from October 15, 2014, to February 7, 2020. Children aged 6 months to 7 years with acute infective conjunctivitis were eligible for enrollment. The participants were followed up for 14 days. A subsequent meta-analysis included the present trial and 3 previous randomized clinical trials enrolling pediatric patients aged 1 month to 18 years with acute infective conjunctivitis. Interventions: Participants in the present randomized clinical trial were randomized to moxifloxacin eye drops, placebo eye drops, or no intervention. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome in the present randomized clinical trial was time to clinical cure (in days); in the meta-analysis, the primary outcome was the proportion of participants with conjunctival symptoms on days 3 to 6. Results: The randomized clinical trial included 88 participants (46 [52%] girls), of whom 30 were randomized to moxifloxacin eye drops (mean [SD] age, 2.8 [1.6] years), 27 to placebo eye drops (mean [SD], age 3.0 [1.3] years), and 31 to no intervention (mean [SD] age, 3.2 [1.8] years). The time to clinical cure was significantly shorter in the moxifloxacin eye drop group than in the no intervention group (3.8 vs 5.7 days; difference, −1.9 days; 95% CI, −3.7 to −0.1 days; P = .04), while in the survival analysis both moxifloxacin and placebo eye drops significantly shortened the time to clinical cure relative to no intervention. In the meta-analysis, a total of 584 children were randomized (300 to topical antibiotics and 284 to a placebo), and the use of topical antibiotics was associated with a significant reduction in the proportion of c
- Published
- 2022