Treatment Of Conjunctivitis In Children Research Articles

Our Experience Olopatadine Treatment of Allergic Conjunctivitis in Children

The authors analyzed the treatment results of 53 patients (106 eyes) with allergic conjunctivitis. All patients received Olopatadine 0.2 % (Visallergol) in drops once a day during 1 month. All patients underwent the same tests: scraping from the conjunctiva for the presence of eosinophils, evaluation of the inflammation symptoms using 4-ball scale, biomicroscopy of cornea and conjunctiva with staining by lissamine green and tear film stability (Norn’s method). All of the above-mentioned tests were performed before the treatment, on 14-th day and after the course of therapy. The inflammatory reaction of conjunctiva, the amount of discharge in the conjunctival cavity and the staining of the conjunctiva with lissamine green decreased in all patients starting from the 14-th day of treatment. The maximal effectiveness of the drop was registered in patients with the chronic type of allergic conjunctivitis. The manifestation of the disease reduced significantly after 1 month of treatment, but it does not disappear completely. So it is necessary to continue therapy after 1 month. The laboratory methods of diagnosis confirm the effectiveness of Visallergol by disappearance of eosinophils in the conjunctiva scrapings. The secondary dry eye syndrome developed in all types of the allergic conjunctivitis and needs a long-term treatment. The maximal intensity of dry eye syndrome was registered in patients with chronic type of the allergic conjunctivitis. The drop can be used starting from 2 years old.

Levocabastine eye drops are effective and well tolerated for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children

This open-label, prospective, multicentre, 4-week trial was undertaken to assess the efficacy and tolerability of twice daily levocabastine eye drops (0.5 mg/ml), with sodium cromoglycate nasal spray for the relief of concurrent nasal symptoms if required, in a total of 233 children with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. No correlation between efficacy, tolerability and age was found. Investigator assessments revealed that the total severity of ocular symptoms decreased by 84 ± 34% in patients < 12 years and 85 ± 30% in those ≥ 12 years, with corresponding reductions in the total severity of ocular findings of 84% in both patient groups over the 4-week treatment period. Global assessments of therapeutic efficacy revealed the effect of therapy on ocular symptoms to be excellent or good in 81% of patients < 12 years and 82% of those ≥ 12 years after 2 weeks of treatment, with corresponding values at the end of the trial of 88% and 82% in the two groups, respectively. Treatment tolerability was considered to be excellent or good by 94% of patients overall. Application site reactions were the most common adverse event associated with ocular levocabastine, occurring in 13% of patients < 12 years and 9% of those ≥ 12 years. Twice daily levocabastine eye drops therefore appear to be effective and well tolerated for the treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis in children.

Levocabastine eyedrops in comparison with cromoglycate in the treatment of conjunctivitis in children with birch pollinosis

During the season 65 children, 7–19) yours old, with conjunctivitis due to birch pollinosis were treated with eyedrops, either levocabastine b. i. d. (+ placebo b. i. d.) (n=32), or cromoglycate q. i. d. (n= 33). Beclomethasone was given to children with rhinitis. Symptoms of conjunctivitis and sedation as well as pollen counts were assessed daily. Blood was drawn before and at the end of the treatment. When mean weekly scores for symptoms of conjunctivitis or sedation were evaluated there were no significant differences between the treatments. A dynamic statistical method correlating symptoms with pollen counts on the same and previous days was applied showing that the children treated with levocabastine had a quicker reduction of their conjunctivis symptoms after a pollen peak (p &lt; 0.05) but were tired for a longer period (p &lt; 0.01). Other side effects were few and similar in the groups. No significant changes were seen in the blood safety data. The differences between the groups were small, and from a clinical point of view the conclusion is that levocabastine taken twice daily is as effective and as free of side effects as cromoglycate taken 4 times a day.