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Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis: results of a 1-month, single-masked randomized study.

Author(s): Figus M, Fogagnolo P, Lazzeri S, Capizzi F, Romagnoli M, Canovetti A, Iester M, Ferreras A, Rossetti L, Nardi M

Affiliation(s): Department of Neurosciences, Ophthalmology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. figus@ocupisa.it

Publication date & source: 2010-09, Eur J Ophthalmol., 20(5):811-8.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of topical antiallergic eyedrops in relieving the signs and symptoms of patients with allergic conjunctival pathology. METHODS: In this multicenter, single-masked, randomized study, 240 patients with signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis were randomized to receive 1 of the following 8 treatments twice daily: cromolyn sodium/chlorpheniramine maleate, diclofenac, epinastine, fluorometholone, ketotifen, levocabastine, naphazoline/antazoline, and olopatadine. Clinical signs and symptoms were evaluated by a masked operator using a 10-point scale at the moment of enrollment (day 0) and at weeks 1, 2, and 4. The percentage of patients achieving at least a small (at least 50% reduction of the total scale score) or a good (at least 75%) improvement of signs and symptoms was calculated at each visit. Tolerability was also evaluated as the duration of discomfort after instillation. RESULTS: All drugs gave some improvement in symptoms in more than 85% of cases. Epinastine and olopatadine obtained at least a good relief of symptoms in 37% and 33% of cases at week 1. At the end of the study, good improvement of symptoms was obtained in at least 70% of patients by epinastine, ketotifen, fluorometholone, and olopatadine, whereas a 75% improvement for signs was obtained only by fluorometholone and ketotifen. Naphazoline/antazoline induced higher discomfort compared to the other study treatments (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of epinastine, ketotifen, and olopatadine in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis was comparable to fluorometholone. Naphazoline/antazoline had lower tolerability than the other study treatments.

Page last updated: 2010-10-05

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