Sm. Wintermeyer et al., EFFICACY OF OTOTOPICAL CIPROFLOXACIN IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH OTORRHEA, Otolaryngology and head and neck surgery, 116(4), 1997, pp. 450-453
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy an
d safety of topical ciprofloxacin in patients with recurrent otorrhea
that was unresponsive to other antibiotics. METHODS: Pediatric patient
s with otorrhea and confirmed Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the ear fluid
were enrolled. Topical ciprofloxacin, three drops three times daily fo
r 14 days, was prescribed with aural care. Efficacy and safety were ev
aluated on days 7 and 14. A phone follow-up was conducted monthly ther
eafter for 8.6 months. RESULTS: Twenty-nine pediatric patients were en
rolled. On day 14, 18 were cured, 8 were improved, 2 were changed to a
n alternate therapy and cured, and 1 showed no improvement, perhaps du
e to a small external ear canal. Two additional patients were cured at
day 21. None of the patients reported any adverse effects. Twelve pat
ients had no recurrence at 3 to 15 months after the study. CONCLUSION:
The use of topical ciprofloxacin in pediatric patients was curative i
n nearly 70% of patients with otorrhea associated with P. aeruginosa w
ho were previously unresponsive to other antimicrobials. No adverse re
actions were reported in the study population.