Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: The corneal epithelial wound closure rates were compared following topical applications of ZymarTM and VigamoxTM on the rabbit eyes. ZymarTM contains 0.3% (mg/ml) gatifloxacin and 0.005% benzalkonium chloride preservative. VigamoxTM contains 0.5% moxifloxacin and no preservative. Methods: Rabbits were divided into three test groups (BSS/Vigamox, BSS/Zymar, and Vigamox/Zymar) of ten rabbits per group with bilateral wounds. Each wound was a full thickness epithelial cell layer removal by scraping with a knife (5700 Beaver blade) within a 5–mm trephine mark. Following wounding, test eyes were dosed QID with the appropriate solutions. The epithelial wound closure was observed by fluorescein staining the wound and documented with external slit lamp photographs. Data was analysis to determine the linear rate of wound closure. Results: The mean wound radius closure rate for BSS® control eyes was 71.1 ± 11.7 µm/hr, for VigamoxTM treated eyes was 67.6 ± 7.1 µm/hr, and for ZymarTM treated eyes was 65.9 ± 8.0 µm/hr. Paired t–Tests of the eyes in each treatment group were performed. In group 1, BSS® and VigamoxTM difference was not great enough to exclude the possibility that the difference is due to chance, p=0.3309. In group 2, BSS® and ZymarTM had a statistically significant difference, p=0.0428. In group 3, ZymarTM and VigamoxTM difference was possibly due to chance, p=0.2242. Conclusions: There was a tendency for the epithelial wound to close faster with BSS® than VigamoxTM and faster with VigamoxTM than ZymarTM. An ANOVA test (p=0.190) performed between the three treatment groups supports the conclusion that there were no statistical differences between treatment groups.
Keywords: cornea: epithelium • antibiotics/antifungals/antiparasitics • wound healing