Abstract:
To evaluate the effects of olopatadine 0.1% and epinastine 0.05% ophthalmic solutions on the prevention of ocular itching in individuals of varying allergic sensitivity. Olopatadine is approved for treatment of all signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, and epinastine for itching. Therefore, this study focused on symptom comparison.
This was a prospective, randomized, double–masked, contalaterally–controlled, single center, 3–visit CAC study. Allergen titration was conducted at Visit 1 and confirmation of ocular allergic reaction at Visit 2. Sixty–six subjects were randomized by eye at Visit 3 to receive olopatadine, epinastine, or placebo. CAC was administered 5 min post medication administration. Itching was evaluated at 3, 5, & 7 min post–CAC on a standardized scale (0–4). Analysis was performed to rank subjects by level of ocular itching experienced at Visit 2 (untreated CAC), into moderate, moderate/severe, and severe categories. Mean scores from eyes of subjects receiving olopatadine in one eye and epinastine in the fellow eye were calculated according to severity; statistical significance was measured by a 2–tailed Wilcoxon rank–sign test.
Olopatadine treated eyes exhibited lower itching scores than epinastine in all three levels of severity; (moderate: n=11; moderate/severe: n=14 severe: n=19). Greatest differences occurred in subjects in the severe category:
Results indicate that olopatadine exhibits significantly greater prevention of the ocular allergic reaction in high–severity allergy sufferers, as compared to epinastine.
Keywords: conjunctiva • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled • conjunctivitis