Topical lomefloxacin 0.3% twice daily versus tobramycin 0.3% in acute bacterial conjunctivitis: A multicenter double-blind phase III study

Aims/Background:To evaluate in a double-masked comparative, prospective, ra ndomized multicenter trial the efficacy of lomefloxacin 0.3% eye drops twic e daily and of tobramycin eye drops 4 times daily in patients with acute ba cterial conjunctivitis. Methods: Ninety-nine subjects were enrolled: 50 wer e treated with lomefloxacin 0.3% eye drops twice daily and 49 with tobramyc in 0.3% eye drops 4 times daily. In all patients, conjunctival swabbing and assessment of objective signs and of subjective symptoms were performed. R esults: There was no statistical difference for any individual sign or symp tom or for the sum score of either key or other signs and symptoms at any o f the examination days. The sum score of both key and other signs and sympt oms decreased in both groups at day 3-4 as compared to baseline values (p < 0.0001). The decrease in both these scores continued significantly from da y 3-4 to day 7-8 (p < 0.05) and was similar in the two treatment groups (p > 0.4). The lowest resistance rate was seen in lomefloxacin (3.5%) and in n eomycin (7.0%), while tobramycin showed resistance in 10 out of 88 resistan ce strains (11.4%). Conclusion: Both lomefloxacin 0.3% twice daily and tobr amycin 0.3% administered 4 times daily were well tolerated and showed a hig h degree of clinical and microbiological efficacy in the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Lomefloxacin caused less resistance than other a ntibiotics evaluated.