Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: This study compares the biocompatibility of moxifloxacin (Vigamox) and gatifloxacin (Zymar). Methods: Six human voluntary subjects were selected after their preliminary, complete ophthalmic examination, which included confocal microscopy, was within normal limits. Gatifloxacin was instilled in one eye and moxifloxacin in the other eye, each minute for 5 minutes. The patients then graded the discomfort of the administered drops. The degree of conjunctival injection was graded. Each eye was photographed at the slit lamp and confocal microscopy was performed to quantify the amount of corneal epithelial cell dropout. Results: On a scale of 1 to 10, the mean discomfort was graded 2 points higher for moxifloxacin (SD: 0.71, P<0.05). On a scale of 1 to 4, the mean degree of conjunctival injection was graded as 2 in each moxifloxacin eye and 0 in the Gatifloxacin eyes (P<0.05). Confocal microscopy revealed a trend of 1.4 times greater corneal epithelial cell dropout in the moxifloxacin eyes; however, the p value = 0.052. Conclusions: This study compared the biocompatibility of moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin in a short but intensive dosing schedule. The eyes dosed with gatifloxacin were more comfortable and showed less conjunctival injection – these results were statistically significant. Post–dosing confocal microscopy showed a trend of less corneal epithelial cell dropout. Based on these results, gatifloxacin is more biocompatible as used in this study.
Keywords: antibiotics/antifungals/antiparasitics • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications • bacterial disease