EFFICACY OF OTOTOPICAL CIPROFLOXACIN IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH OTORRHEA

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.