Ciprofloxacin ophthalmic solution in the treatment of conjunctivitis and blepharitis: a comparison with fusidic acid

Eur J Ophthalmol. 1996 Oct-Dec;6(4):368-74. doi: 10.1177/112067219600600404.

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin ophthalmic solution (0.3%) and fusidic acid gel (1%) were compared in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis and blepharitis in a randomized, open, parallel group study. Thirty-nine patients, 21 treated with ciprofloxacin solution and 18 treated with fusidic acid gel, were culture-positive on admission and were evaluable for efficacy. At the end of a 7-day treatment, the infecting organism was eradicated in 81% of those treated with ciprofloxacin and 72% of those treated with fusidic acid gel. There was clinical cure or improvement in 95% and 89% respectively. The clinical cure rate appeared to be higher with ciprofloxacin than fusidic acid (62% compared with 28%) but this was related to the higher proportion of patients with acute conjunctivitis in the ciprofloxacin group. Two patients using ciprofloxacin had mild discomfort and stinging on instillation and one given fusidic acid had moderate edema and discomfort; the latter patient stopped treatment. Topical ciprofloxacin is effective and well tolerated and is a useful treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Infective Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blepharitis / drug therapy*
  • Blepharitis / microbiology
  • Child
  • Ciprofloxacin / administration & dosage
  • Ciprofloxacin / adverse effects
  • Ciprofloxacin / therapeutic use*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Conjunctiva / drug effects
  • Conjunctiva / microbiology
  • Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / drug therapy*
  • Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / etiology
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / drug therapy
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / etiology
  • Eyelids / drug effects
  • Eyelids / microbiology
  • Female
  • Fusidic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Fusidic Acid / adverse effects
  • Fusidic Acid / therapeutic use*
  • Gels
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ophthalmic Solutions
  • Safety

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Gels
  • Ophthalmic Solutions
  • Fusidic Acid
  • Ciprofloxacin