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Topical corticosteroid desonide safe, effective for allergy
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PADOVA, Italy — Desonide was a safe and effective treatment for ocular allergy in studies here. Topically applied, the corticosteroid had a therapeutic effect against both induced conjunctival allergic reactions and in active seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.
Andrea Leonardi, MD, and colleagues here with the University of Padova exposed 12 allergic but inactive patients to increasing doses of a specific allergen until positive, bilateral early- and late-phase reactions were obtained. Two weeks later, the reactions were reconfirmed. Two weeks after that, conjunctival provocation was performed 30 minutes after topical administration of desonide in one eye and placebo in the contralateral eye (group A) or after topical desonide or placebo four times daily for 2 days (group B). All symptoms were statistically and clinically lower in the eyes treated with desonide vs. placebo.
In another trial, 96 patients with active seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) were treated bilaterally with either desonide or fluorometholone for 3 weeks. Both desonide and fluorometholone were safe and effective in reducing itching, tearing and conjunctival hyperemia over time.
The study is published in the July issue of Cornea.