LEVOCABASTINE EYE DROPS IN THE TREATMENT OF VERNAL CONJUNCTIVITIS

The efficacy and tolerability of levocabastine eye drops in vernal conjunctivitis (VC) were evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 46 patients over a period of 4 weeks. After 1 week of treatment, therapeutic efficacy was considered to be excellent or good for 70% of the levocabastine-treated patients compared with only 33% of patients in the placebo group (p < 0.009). Levocabastine patients experienced significantly greater relief of their individually severest symptom than placebo-treated patients both after 1 week and at the end of the trial (p < 0.04). The reduction in symptom severity was significantly greater in the levocabastine group than in the control group for photophobia (p < 0.003) after 1 week, and for photophobia (p < 0.008), irritation (p = 0.05) and itchy eyes (p = 0.05) at the end of the trial. The percentage of days on which patients were completely symptom-free was significantly higher in the levocabastine group than in the placebo group (28% versus 4%; p < 0.02). Eight placebo-treated patients withdrew from the trial due to treatment inefficacy compared with only four levocabastine-treated patients (p = 0.013). Two of the three levocabastine, and all five placebo patients who elected to continue on open-label levocabastine had an excellent or good overall response after 1 to 3 weeks of treatment. All reported adverse reactions were mild and their incidence was equal in the two treatment groups. Levocabastine eye drops are effective and well tolerated in the treatment of VC.