Topical antibiotics and artificial tears associated with reduced infective-conjunctivitis symptoms
Abstract
Question Among children with infectious conjunctivitis, what is the therapeutic efficacy of topical antibiotics, compared with placebo or no antibiotics, in conjunctival symptom-duration reduction? Design Randomized controlled trial (RCT) and meta-analysis (MA). Setting RCT: Primary health care in Oulu, Finland. Participants RCT: 6 months – 7 years with acute infective conjunctivitis. MA: 1 month – 18 years. Intervention RCT: Moxifloxacin eye drops, placebo (carboxymethylcellulose sodium – artificial tears) eye drops, or no intervention. Outcomes RCT: Days to clinical cure. MA: Proportion of participants with conjunctival symptoms on days 3 to 6. Main Results RCT: 30, 27, and 31 participants were randomized to moxifloxacin, placebo, and no intervention, respectively. Moxifloxacin, compared with no intervention, significantly reduced time to cure, 3.8 vs 5.7 days, difference, −1.9 days (95%CI, −3.7 - −0.1 days). Survival analysis demonstrated that both moxifloxacin and placebo (artificial tears) significantly shortened the time to clinical cure relative to no intervention. MA: Antibiotics reduced the proportion of participants with conjunctival symptoms on days 3 to 6, odds ratio 0.59 (95%CI, 0.39 – 0.91). Conclusions Topical antibiotics, and artificial tears, reduced conjunctivitis symptom duration.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 27 participants or records.
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