Clinical Trial of Eye Prophylaxis in the Newborn

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 1969-12-31
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

To compare the effectiveness of silver nitrate drops, erythromycin ointment, or no medication in preventing neonatal conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and other eye infections.

To compare side effects of the two prophylactic agents.

• Phase: Phase 3

Details

• Lead Sponsor: National Eye Institute (NEI)
• Treatments: Erythromycin; Erythromycin Estolate; Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate; Erythromycin stearate; Silver Nitrate

Criteria

The study included male and female infants delivered at University Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Women were recruited after the 28th week of pregnancy and had to be English-speaking. In addition, they planned to stay at the hospital at least 48 hours following delivery and lived in the greater Seattle metropolitan area. Infants were eligible whether they were delivered vaginally or by cesarean section. Excluded from the study were siblings of infants enrolled in the study, women who were culture-positive for gonorrhea, infants receiving systemic antimicrobials for reasons other than conjunctivitis, women receiving antimicrobials at the time of delivery, and families unlikely to be available for followup after delivery.