SR | Topical antibiotics modestly improve resolution of acute bacterial conjunctivitis

Summary: The Cochrane Review evaluated the benefits and potential side effects of antibiotic therapy in treating acute bacterial conjunctivitis. The authors included 21 randomized controlled trials, with a total of 8,805 participants. The trials evaluated the effectiveness of topical antibiotic treatments in the form of drops or ointments, and were heterogeneous in terms of eligibility criteria, antibiotic drug class, duration of treatment, and outcomes assessed.

The review found that antibiotics likely improved clinical cure by 26% compared with placebo, with no evidence of serious systemic side effects reported in either the antibiotic or placebo group. Fluoroquinolones were found to have fewer ocular side effects compared to non-fluoroquinolones.

Overall, the review suggests that the use of topical antibiotics may be considered to achieve better clinical and microbiologic efficacy than placebo in treating acute bacterial conjunctivitis.

Article: Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis – Cochrane Library

Summary: What are the benefits and harms of antibiotics for acute bacterial conjunctivitis? – Cochrane Library