MODERN ASPECTS OF TOPICAL ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY FOR ACUTE BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS IN CHILDREN

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a three-day course of topical antibiotic therapy compared to a standard seven-day course in the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis in children. A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 46 children (88 eyes) aged from 6 months to 12 years. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (23 patients, 45 eyes) received 0.5% moxifloxacin eye drops four times daily for 3 days, and Group B (23 patients, 43 eyes) received the same antibiotic for 7 days. Clinical assessments were performed on days 3, 7, and 14. The primary efficacy endpoint was complete clinical recovery by day 7. Secondary outcomes included duration of symptoms, adverse effects, recurrence rate within 14 days, and parental satisfaction (on a 1–5 scale). Complete recovery by day 7 was observed in 86.9% of patients in Group A and 91.3% in Group B (p=0.65). The mean duration of symptoms was 3.2±0.9 days in Group A and 3.0±1.0 days in Group B (p=0.44). Adverse effects occurred in 4.3% and 8.7% of patients, respectively (p=0.55). One recurrence was noted in Group A. Parental satisfaction was high in both groups, with mean scores of 4.6 and 4.5, respectively (p=0.68). The three-day topical antibiotic regimen demonstrated comparable clinical efficacy and safety to the standard seven-day treatment course for acute bacterial conjunctivitis in children.