Quinolone ear drops study wins Best Clinical Research Paper Award

A study about quinolone ear drops led by researchers in the department of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, won the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s 2018 Best Clinical Research Paper Award. The award was presented on May 21, during the college’s annual faculty retreat.Quinolones Slider

The study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, compares the rates of eardrum perforations after use of two commonly used ear drops, quinolones and neomycin, following an ear tube surgery. Researchers from the UF Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine analyzed insurance data of nearly 100,000 children to identify eardrum perforations that require a costly surgical repair called tympanoplasty.

UF researchers found that children receiving quinolone ear drops are 60 percent more likely to have eardrum perforations compared with children receiving neomycin ear drops. In addition, the study suggests that using quinolones together with steroids might further raise the risk of eardrum perforations.

The study’s lead author, Adel Alrwisan, was a graduate student in the department of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, at the time of publication. Almut Winterstein, Ph.D., a professor and chair of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, and Patrick Antonelli, M.D., a professor and chair of the UF College of Medicine’s department of otolaryngology, were co-authors of the study.