***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Two hundred eighty-eight cases of culture-proven bacterial conjunctivities were evaluated as part of two multicentered , r and omized , prospect i ve clinical studies comparing the antibacterial efficacy of topically administered ciprofloxacin 0.3 % either with a placebo or with tobramycin 0.3 % . In the first study , ciprofloxacin was significantly ( P less than .001 ) more effective than the placebo . It eradicated or reduced the various bacterial pathogens in 93.6 % of patients , compared to 59.5 % for the placebo . In the second study , ciprofloxacin ( 94.5 % ) and tobramycin ( 91.9 % ) were equally effective . Topically applied ciprofloxacin  eradicated or reduced all isolated bacterial species , attesting to its broad antibacterial spectrum and its potential usefulness in treating external ocular infections Abstract Objective : To assess three prescribing strategies for sore throat .  Design : R and omised follow up study . Setting : 11 general practice s in the South and West region . Subjects : 716 patients aged 4 years and over with sore throat and an abnormal physical sign in the throat ; 84 % had tonsillitis or pharyngitis . Patients were r and omised to three groups : prescription for antibiotics for 10 days ( group 1 , 246 patients ) ; no prescription ( group 2 , 230 patients ) ; or prescription for antibiotics if symptoms were not starting to settle after three days ( group 3 ; 238 patients ) . Main outcome measures : Duration of symptoms ; satisfaction and compliance with and perceived efficacy of antibiotics ; time off school or work . Outcomes were documented in 582 subjects ( 81 % ) . Results : Median duration of antibiotic use differed significantly in the three groups ( 10 v 0 v 0 days , P<0.001 ) ; 69 % of patients in group 3 did not use their prescription . The proportion of patients better by day 3 did not differ significantly ( 37 % v 35 % v 30 % , P=0.28 ) , nor did the duration of illness ( median 4 v 5 v 5 days , P=0.39 ) , days off work or school ( median 2 v 2 v 1 , P=0.13 ) , or proportion of patients satisfied ( 96 % v 90 % v 93 % , P=0.09 ) , although group 1 had fewer days of fever ( median 1 v 2 v 2 days , P=0.04 ) . More patients in group 1 thought the antibiotics were effective ( 87 % v 55 % v 60 % , P<0.001 ) and intended coming to the doctor in future attacks ( 79 % v 54 % v 57 % , P<0.001 ) . “ Legitimation ” of illness — to explain to work or school ( 60 % ) or family or friends (37%)–was an important reason for consultation . Patients who were more satisfied got better more quickly , and satisfaction related strongly to how well the doctor dealt with patient 's concerns . Conclusion : Prescribing antibiotics for sore throat only marginally affects the resolution of symptoms but enhances belief in antibiotics and intention to consult in future when compared with the acceptable strategies of no prescription or delayed prescription . Psychosocial factors are important in the decision to see a general practitioner and in predicting the duration of illness . Key messages Sore throat is one of the commonest presentations of upper respiratory illness to general practitioners , and attendance is increasing Prescribing antibiotics for sore throat does not reduce the extent and duration of symptoms Prescribing antibiotics enhances belief in antibiotics and intention to consult Legitimation of illness is an important reason for attending the doctor Satisfaction predicts duration of illness and closely relates to how well concerns are dealt with — unless patients are very ill , general practitioners should consider exploring concerns and should avoid or delay prescribing 48 patients witha diagnosis of presumptive bacterial conjunctivitis were assessed . They had been treated with either trimethoprim-polymyxin or neomycin-polymyxin-gramicidin eye drops in a r and omised double-blind trial . There were 24 patients in each treatment group . There were no significant differences between the two preparations proved with regard to the eradication of organisms or clinical improvement , and both preparations proved to be very effective . Patient compliance was good and no adverse reactions were encountered with either preparation Forty-five patients with presumed acute bacterial conjunctivitis were treated in an investigator-masked r and omized multicenter study with either lomefloxacin 0.3 % or fucidic acid 1 % eye drops twice daily . Clinical signs and symptoms were rated by slit-lamp examination and conjunctival swab cultures were performed to evaluate clinical and microbiological efficacy . A total of 57 ocular isolates were tested for susceptibility to nine antibiotics . A significant decrease in clinical symptomatology was achieved by both treatments with a gradual improvement over the treatment period of 7 - 9 days . Bacteriological recovery was frequently achieved already at the first control visit ( day 3 - 5 ) , but the recovery rate was statistically significant ( p = 0.014 ) only in the lomefloxacin group . The relatively high in vitro resistance rate ( 46 % ) to fucidic acid was not reflected by lower clinical efficacy . Two unrelated adverse events ( one in each treatment group ) and minimal local intolerance problems were observed in both treatment groups . A significantly higher incidence of burning sensation was observed with fucidic acid than with lomefloxacin ( p < 0.01 ) . All four treatment failures in the study occurred in the fucidic acid group . Lomefloxacin 0.3 % ophthalmic solution demonstrated a high efficacy and good tolerance in the management of acute bacterial conjunctivitis Abstract . Fusidic acid 1 % and chloramphenicol 0.5 % eye drops were in a r and omized , single‐blind manner given as a one‐week treatment to out‐ patients with acute , purulent conjunctivitis . A clinical success was recorded in 84 % ( 102/121 ) of patients receiving fusidic acid and in 81 % ( 104/129 ) of patients receiving chloramphenicol . More patients ( 14 % ) receiving chloramphenicol complained of trivial side effects such as stinging and local discomfort , compared with fusidic acid ( 5 % ) . No serious side effects were recorded . It is concluded that fusidic acid dispensed in a carbomer eye vehicle represents an effective and well tolerated new topical eye preparation with the advantage of being administered twice daily We studied 102 children aged 1 month to 18 years in a r and omized , double-blind trial design ed to determine both the natural history of bacterial conjunctivitis and whether topical antibiotic therapy is beneficial . Affected eyes were treated four times a day for 7 days with drug ( polymyxin-bacitracin ophthalmic ointment ) or placebo .  Eighty-four patients had proved bacterial conjunctivitis ( Haemophilus influenzae 61 , Streptococcus pneumoniae 22 , both one ) ; 66 of these received only topical therapy . By 3 to 5 days , 21 of 34 ( 62 % ) patients receiving topical antibiotic were clinical ly cured , whereas only nine of 32 ( 28 % ) patients given placebo were cured ( P less than 0.02 ) . By 8 to 10 days , 31 ( 91 % ) of the patients given antibiotic and 23 ( 72 % ) of the placebo group were cured ( P = NS ) . The bacterial pathogen was eradicated by day 3 to 5 in 71 % and by day 8 to 10 in 79 % of patients given antibiotic , compared to 19 % and 31 % of the placebo group ( P less than 0.001 ) . Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a self-limited disease , but topical antibiotic therapy with polymyxin-bacitracin shortens the duration of clinical disease and enhances eradication of the causative organism from the conjunctiva One hundred fifty-eight patients , 21 years of age or less , presenting with culture-positive ( Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae ) conjunctivitis were treated with trimethoprim-polymyxin B ( TP ) , gentamicin sulfate ( GS ) or sodium sulfacetamide ( SS ) ophthalmic solution for 10 days . Clinical response at 3 to 6 days after start of therapy was similar for all test agents : 26 of 55 ( 47 % ) patients cured , 25 of 55 ( 45 % ) improved for TP ; 28 of 57 ( 49 % ) cured , 26 of 57 ( 46 % ) improved for GS ; and 19 of 46 ( 41 % ) cured , 22 of 46 ( 48 % ) improved for SS . Clinical response at 2 to 7 days after completion of therapy was also similar : 46 of 55 ( 84 % ) patients cured , 5 of 55 ( 9 % ) improved for TP ; 50 of 57 ( 88 % ) cured , 5 of 57 ( 9 % ) improved for GS ; and 41 of 46 ( 89 % ) cured , 2 of 46 ( 4 % ) improved for SS . Bacteriologic response at 2 to 7 days after completion of therapy was similar for all antimicrobials : 44 of 55 ( 83 % ) patients for TP ; 39 of 57 ( 68 % ) for GS ; and 33 of 46 ( 72 % ) for SS Forty patients with a diagnosis of presumptive bacterial conjunctivitis were treated with either trimethoprim-polymyxin or chloramphenicol ophthalmic solutions in a r and omized , double-blind trial . No significant differences could be demonstrated between the results of 7-days ' treatment with the two preparations and both solutions were found to be effective in improving the signs and symptoms of surface ocular bacterial infection . No adverse reactions were reported in either treatment group Two-hundred and thirty patients with a diagnosis of presumptive bacterial conjunctivitis were assessed in a r and omized double-blind multicentre trial . In two of the centres the patients had been treated with either trimethoprim-polymyxin B or neomycin-polymyxin B-gramicidin ophthalmic solution . In the other two centres the patients had been treated with either trimethoprim-polymyxin B or chloramphenicol ophthalmic solution . All of the preparations used were shown to be effective and very few adverse reactions were encountered . No significant difference in clinical efficacy could be demonstrated between trimethoprim-polymyxin B and neomycin-polymyxin B -gramicidin but trimethoprim-polymyxin B was found to be significantly better ( P = 0.03 ) than chloramphenicol in reducing signs and symptoms Forty-two patients with a clinical diagnosis of bacterial conjunctivitis were enrolled in a r and omized , double-blind trial . Patients were treated with either trimethoprim-polymyxin B sulphate or chloramphenicol ophthalmic ointments 4-times a day for 7 days . Analysis of clinical evaluation data showed that both treatments were effective and well tolerated , and that there were no statistically significant differences between them with regard to eradication of organisms or clinical improvement Summary We performed a prospect i ve , r and omised , investigator-masked and parallel-group study to compare topical lomefloxacin 0.3 % instilled twice daily with topical chloramphenicol instilled five times daily in the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis . 191 patients ( lomefloxacin 96 , chloramphenicol 95 ) were enrolled in this study with clinical ly diagnosed acute bacterial conjunctivitis . The two treatment groups were similar at baseline . The treatments were equally effective and significantly ( p < 0.001 ) reduced the Cumulative Sum Score of the clinical signs and symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis . At the end of the trial , there was no difference between the two treatments in the Cumulative Sum Score of signs and symptoms ( p = 0.63 ) , and the investigator ( p = 0.28 ) and patients ’ ( p = 0.50 ) assessment s of the success of therapy . The two drugs were equally well tolerated locally , with no serious systemic or local adverse drug reactions reported in any study patient . Bacteriological confirmation of acute conjunctivitis was possible in 96 patients ( lomefloxacin 47 , chloramphenicol 49 ) out of the 191 enrolled . Both treatments significantly ( p < 0.001 ) reduced the conjunctival bacterial colony count score with no difference ( p = 0.12 ) between the two treatment groups . In conclusion , lomefloxacin 0.3 % eye drops instilled twice daily were as effective and well tolerated as chloramphenicol 0.5 % eye drops instilled 5 times daily in the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis Abstract Fucidic acid viscous eye drops 1 % given twice daily was compared with chloramphenicol eye drops 0.5 % given 6 times daily in patients with acute conjunctivitis . Patients were recru 
    Output:
    
Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is frequently a self-limiting condition but the use of antibiotics is associated with significantly improved rates of early clinical remission , and early and late microbiological remission .