Azithromycin improves Meibomian gland dysfunction with lesser GI side effects

A recent study by Phit Upaphong and colleagues shows that, azithromycin and doxycycline have similar impacts on the meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) score and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score at both follow-up intervals. The findings of this study were published in the Journal of American Medical Association.

Oral doxycycline takes a 6-week course of treatment to treat moderate to severe meibomian gland dysfunction and frequently causes adverse effects (AEs), which may be linked to low compliance. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to ascertain if the adverse events (AEs) associated with a 3-week course of oral azithromycin were comparable to those associated with a 6-week course of oral doxycycline.

From September 2018 through May 2022, a referral facility in Thailand hosted this double-masked, random clinical research. Individuals were deemed to have moderate to severe MGD and to be non-responsive to conservative therapy. The administration of oral doxycycline or oral azithromycin to patients was randomised at a 1:1 ratio (200 mg daily for 6 weeks).

The trial team evaluated the total MGD score, the Ocular Surface Disease Index score, and the adverse events (AEs) during the initial visit, at 6 weeks, and at 8 weeks after the start of medication. For the MGD score and OSDI score, the predetermined equivalence margins were set at 2 and 9, respectively.