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Dry Eye SyndromesPhase 4NCT02533154

Effect of Benzalkonium Chloride Containing Eye Drops on the Conjunctival Bacterial Flora of Dry Eye Patients

A Phase 4 study testing Prosicca, Prosicca sine and Bacterial culture in people with Dry Eye Syndromes, run by Medical University of Vienna at 2 sites in Austria.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a preservative, which is a component of more than 70% of topical ophthalmic drugs. Although BAC is a preservative with an excellent antibacterial spectrum, it has also been shown to induce toxic effects to the ocular surface. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Dry Eye Syndromes
What is being tested?
Prosicca, Prosicca sine and Bacterial culture
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
40 participants
Where
2 sitesAustria
Study dates
27 Jul 2015to Oct 2023
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 75 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Men and women aged between 18 and 75 years.
  • Signed and dated written informed consent.
  • History of dry eye syndrome for at least 3 months
  • Tear Break Up Time (BUT) ≤ 10 seconds or Schirmer I test ≤ 10 mm and ≥ 2mm
  • Normal ophthalmic findings except dry eye syndrome, ametropia < 6 Dpt.
  • Recommended use of topical lubricants, but no administration of topical lubricants 4 weeks preceding the first study day.

Who cannot join

  • History or presence of ocular disease judged by the investigator as incompatible with the study.
  • Any other topical ocular treatment than the study medication in the 4 weeks preceding the first study day and during the treatment period.
  • Wearing of contact lenses.
  • Symptoms of a clinically relevant illness in the 3 weeks before the first study day.
  • Participation in a clinical trial in the 3 weeks preceding the first study day.
  • Pregnancy, lactation.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Austria2 sites, 2 recruiting
  • Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna

    Vienna, 1090

    Gerhard Garhofer, MD, 00431 40400 ext. 29810, gerhard.garhoefer@meduniwien.ac.at

    Recruiting
  • Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna

    Vienna, 1090

    Gerhard Garhoefer, MD

    Recruiting

Other trials in Austria

About this study

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a preservative, which is a component of more than 70% of topical ophthalmic drugs. Although BAC is a preservative with an excellent antibacterial spectrum, it has also been shown to induce toxic effects to the ocular surface. Several studies have indicated that BAC may also have altering effects on the bacterial flora of the conjunctiva.

Since dry eye syndrome (DES) is a very common and multifactorial disease of the ocular surface and the tear fluid resulting in tear film instability, inflammation of the ocular surface, symptoms of discomfort and visual impairment, there are many different preserved as well as preservative-free ophthalmic preparations of ocular lubricants for the treatment of DES. Unpublished data from our department shows differences between artificial tears for the treatment of DES with and without BAC in bacterial culture.

Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of artificial tear eyedrops with and without BAC on the conjunctival bacterial flora. For this 40 patients with mild or moderate dry eye syndrome with no use of artificial tears in the 4 weeks preceding the study will be recruited and treated either with the preservative-free "Prosicca sine" eyedrops or the BAC containing "Prosicca" eyedrops for one month. Conjunctival samples will be collected of one eye of each patient before and after the 1-month treatment period to compare the conjunctival bacterial flora of the two treatment groups.

Being tested
Prosicca, Prosicca sine, Bacterial culture
Medical subject headings
Dry Eye Syndromes

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • ProsiccaDrug

    Prosicca eyedrops Dosage: on demand Route of administration: topical

  • Prosicca sineDrug

    Prosicca sine eyedrops Dosage: on demand Route of administration: topical

  • Bacterial cultureOther

    bacterial cultures obtained with conjunctival swabs

Study groups in NCT02533154
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
BAC treatment groupExperimental20 patients with mild or moderate dry eye syndrome receiving BAC containing Prosicca eyedrops for 1 month
Receives: Drug: Prosicca; Other: Bacterial culture
non-BAC treatment groupActive comparator20 patients with mild or moderate dry eye syndrome receiving preservative-free Prosicca sine eyedrops for 1 month
Receives: Drug: Prosicca sine; Other: Bacterial culture

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Number of colony forming units (CFU) in bacterial culture of conjunctival swab

    Measured: 1 month

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Tear Break Up Time (BUT)

    Measured: 1 month

  2. Schirmer I test

    Measured: 1 month

  3. OSDI© score

    Measured: 1 month

  4. Instillation frequency

    Measured: 1 month

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted26 Aug 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study start27 Jul 2015
  3. Primary completionSep 2023 (estimated)
  4. Study completionOct 2023 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
40 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02533154
Sponsor's protocol ID
OPHT-280515
Status last verified
Apr 2022
First submitted
24 Aug 2015
Last updated
7 Apr 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Prosicca, Prosicca sine and Bacterial culture in people with Dry Eye Syndromes, run by Medical University of Vienna at 2 sites in Austria.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Apr 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Austria. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Gerhard Garhöfer, MD (+43 1 40400 ext. 29810, gerhard.garhoefer@meduniwien.ac.at), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Number of colony forming units (CFU) in bacterial culture of conjunctival swab (time frame: 1 month). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Apr 2022.

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