title: Randomised double-blind trial of acyclovir and idoxuridine in dendritic corneal ulceration.
abstract: The results of a randomised double-blind clinical trial of 3% acyclovir and 0.5% idoxuridine (IDU) ophthalmic ointments in 60 patients with corneal dendritic ulceration are presented. Ulcers in all 30 patients treated with acyclovir healed compared with 22 (76%) of 29 patients treated with IDU (P < 0.01). Patients treated with acyclovir healed more rapidly (average 4.4 days) than those who received IDU (average 9.2 days) (P < 0.01). No serious side effects were observed, though transient stinging was recorded in 8 patients receiving acyclovir and in 2 patients receiving IDU. Other side effects in the IDU treated group were watering in 2 patients and superficial punctate erosions in 6 patients.
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007065:Idoxuridine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D006147:Guanine; D007065:Idoxuridine; D000212:Acyclovir