Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the effect of gatifloxacin 0.3% (Zymar, Allergan) and moxifloxacin 0.5% (Vigamox, Alcon) ophthalmic solutions on the rate of epithelial wound healing following penetrating keratoplasty.
Methods: :
Randomized, investigator–masked, multi–center clinical trial. Starting on the day of surgery, patients (n= 60) scheduled to undergo corneal transplantation instilled either gatifloxacin or moxifloxacin QID for 2 weeks or until the investigator determined that the epithelium healed. Study visits were scheduled for postoperative days 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, and 21.
Results: :
In this interim analysis of 27 patients, eyes treated with gatifloxacin had substantially smaller epithelial defects at day 4 than eyes treated with moxifloxacin (mean defect size of 3.7 mm with gatifloxacin vs 7.6 mm with moxifloxacin, P=.339). In addition, 57% of gatifloxacin–treated eyes had completely healed at day 4, compared with 50% of moxifloxacin–treated eyes. By day 7, 100% of gatifloxacin–treated eyes had completed healed, compared with 83% of moxifloxacin–treated eyes. Healing was delayed in 1 moxifloxacin–treated eye until day 21.
Conclusions: :
The findings of this preliminary analysis suggest that gatifloxacin delays wound healing less than moxifloxacin following penetrating keratoplasty.
Keywords: wound healing • antibiotics/antifungals/antiparasitics