Topical netilmicin compared with tobramycin in the treatment of external ocular infection

In a pilot double-blind, randomized, prospective controlled study the effec tiveness and safety of 0.3% netilmicin ophthalmic solution were compared wi th those of 0.3% tobramycin in treating external bacterial ocular infection s in 45 eligible patients. The treatment with both study medications result ed in a significant (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon test) reduction in the mean cumula tive score of the signs and symptoms. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups. The clinical improvement rate was almost complete with either antibiotics. There was a statisticall y positive trend in the netilmicin group with regard to the microbiological improvement that was achieved in (87% of the netilmicin patients) compared with 77% of the tobramycin patients (77%). Antibiotic sensitivity revealed that 84% of the organisms isolated were sensitive to netilmicin whereas on ly 64% of them were sensitive to tobramycin. Only minor adverse events occu rred in patients treated with either netilmicin or tobramycin. In conclusio n, this study demonstrates that netilmicin is a promising new antibiotic fo r treating external ocular infections.