title: Low-molecular-weight sodium hyaluronate in the treatment of bacterial corneal ulcers.
abstract: A double-blind clinical trial was performed on 26 patients suffering from corneal ulcers of proven (i.e., culture-positive) bacterial etiology. After their recruitment, the subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following treatment protocols: (1) tobramycin (15 mg/ml) in saline applied at 1 drop/h or (2) tobramycin (15 mg/ml) in low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid applied at 1 drop/h. The sample size was adjusted according to a type I error of 0.01 and type a II error of 0.05 for a minimal expected difference of 35%. The healing time was calculated from the beginning of treatment to the day on which a follow-up fluorescein test proved to be negative. The mean healing time (+/- SD) was 3.5 +/- 0.9 days in the sodium hyaluronate group and 5.9 +/- 1.5 days in the saline group (P less than 0.001). These results suggest that treatment with an antibiotic dissolved in low-molecular-weight sodium hyaluronate can further shorten the clinical course of a bacterial corneal ulcer.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Oftalmologia, Università di Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massari
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Orsoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004337:Drug Carriers; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D014031:Tobramycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D014031:Tobramycin