Efficacy and safety of 1% rimexolone versus 1% prednisolone acetate in the treatment of anterior uveitis--a randomized triple masked study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 1% rimexolone versus 1% prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension in the treatment of anterior uveitis.


METHODS
A randomised triple masked, parallel comparison of rimexolone and prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspensions was carried out on 78 patients with acute, chronic and recurrent anterior uveitis. Treatment regimen included instillation of one or two drops of drug one hourly through the waking hours during the first week, two hourly in the second week, four times a day in the third week, two times a day for the first 4 days and once a day for the 3 days in the last week. The patient was clinically evaluated on the 3-4th, 7-10th, 14th, 21st and 28th days. The patient was also reviewed on the 30th day. Anterior chamber cells and flare reactions were compared for evaluating the efficacy of the drugs.


RESULTS
Rimexolone is as effective as prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension in the treatment of anterior uveitis. The largest difference found was 0.1 in the flare reaction (statistically insignificant; p = 0.3) and 0.2 score units (statistically significant; p = 0.01) in the cells. Overall, comparison of the drugs shows no clinical significance in the treatment of anterior uveitis by either drug. Difference in intraocular pressure (IOP) was also statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). However, three patients in the prednisolone acetate group and 1 patient from the rimexolone group showed a rise in IOP.


CONCLUSIONS
Rimexolone 1% ophthalmic suspension is as effective as and safer than prednisolone acetate 1% ophthalmic suspension in the treatment of anterior uveitis.
Biswas
Jyotirmay
J
Medical and Vision Research Foundations, Sankara Nethralaya, 18, College Road, Chennai 600 006, India. mrf@sankaranethralaya.org
Ganeshbabu
T M
TM
Raghavendran
S Ramesh
SR
Raizada
Seemant
S
Mondkar
Sandeep V
SV
Madhavan
H N
HN
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011245:Pregnadienes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011245:Pregnadienes; C009935:prednisolone acetate; D011239:Prednisolone; C013769:rimexolone