Efficacy and safety of bromfenac for the treatment of corneal ulcer pain.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bromfenac ophthalmic solution 0.09% (Xibrom™, ISTA Pharmaceuticals Inc., Irvine, CA, USA) for treating pain associated with corneal ulcers.


METHODS
Twenty-five eyes of 24 patients with corneal infiltrates (bacterial or fungal) were treated with appropriate anti-infective agents along with bromfenac twice daily for up to 102 days to treat the pain caused by the infection. Follow-up visits were frequent in the first 2 weeks upon initiation of treatment, then at least weekly until infections were resolved. The best corrected visual acuity, location, size, and density of corneal infiltrates, the size and presence of a corneal epithelial defect, subjective eye pain (scale of 0-4) and time to pain resolution, the ability to conduct daily activities, and adverse events were recorded at each follow-up visit. The results of these treated patients were compared with those of 10 control eyes with corneal infiltrates (bacterial or fungal) where appropriate anti-infectives were used without adjunct medications.


RESULTS
Fifty-two percent of bromfenac-treated patients reported no pain by day 3, compared with 0% of untreated controls (P=0.023). Most of the treated patients' epithelium healed by day 20 (68%) compared with only 10% of controls (P=0.040). Most bromfenac-treated patients (71%) returned to normal activities within 2 days of starting treatment with bromfenac, compared with 0% of controls (P=0.018). No adverse events were recorded.


CONCLUSIONS
Bromfenac was effective in treating pain associated with infectious keratitis and did not delay corneal epithelialization nor cause any corneal adverse events in this group of 25 eyes.
Schechter
Barry A
BA
Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute, Boynton Beach, FL 33426, USA. BASchechter@gmail.com
Trattler
William
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001577:Benzophenones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001969:Bromobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001577:Benzophenones; D001969:Bromobenzenes; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C053083:bromfenac