Significance: This investigation reports the correlation of conjunctival viral titers in adenoviral conjunctivitis with patient-reported symptoms and clinician-graded signs for 21 days of follow-up.
Purpose: Adenoviral conjunctivitis is a highly contagious viral eye infection with significant morbidity and economic impact. This study investigates whether severity of signs and symptoms and time to viral clearance are correlated with conjunctival viral titers at baseline and during 21 days of follow-up.
Methods: The Reducing Adenoviral Patient Infected Days study was a pilot study of the efficacy of a single in-office administration of ophthalmic 5% povidone-iodine. This article outlines longitudinal analyses after the primary outcome report. Of 212 participants screened, 28 participants with quantitative polymerase chain reaction-confirmed adenoviral conjunctivitis were randomized and had follow-up visits on days 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 21. At each visit, clinician-graded signs, participant-reported symptoms, and a conjunctival swab for quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis were obtained. The correlation of viral titers with symptoms and signs was calculated: (1) cross-sectionally at each visit and (2) longitudinally for 21 days using a repeated-measures mixed-effects model.
Results: Twenty-five of 28 participants had sufficient data for this report. Higher viral titers for 21 days were correlated with greater severity of symptoms (tearing, matting, and redness, r ≥ 0.70; P < .02) and greater severity of clinical signs (bulbar redness and serous discharge, r ≥ 0.60; P < .01). Eyes with highest baseline viral titers required longer time to viral clearance ( r = 0.59, P = .008). Signs and symptoms persisted in approximately half of the eyes even after viral clearance.
Conclusions: Higher conjunctival viral titers across 21 days were strongly correlated with more severe signs and symptoms and longer time to viral clearance. Our results also indicate that symptoms and signs can persist after viral clearance.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02472223.
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