Colistin sulfate, hydrocortisone acetate, neomycin sulfate, and thonzonium bromide is a combination antibacterial and antiinflammatory otic suspension indicated for the treatment of superficial bacterial infections of the external auditory canal and infections of mastoidectomy and fenestration cavities caused by susceptible organisms. Colistin sulfate is a polypeptide antibiotic, which penetrates and disrupts the bacterial cell membrane, and neomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic, which inhibits bacterial protein synthesis. Hydrocortisone acetate is a corticosteroid, which controls inflammation, edema, pruritus, and other dermal reactions. Thonzonium bromide is a surface-active agent that promotes tissue contact by dispersion and penetration of the cellular debris and exudate. Neomycin can induce permanent sensorineural hearing loss due to cochlear damage and risk is greater with prolonged use; therefore, limit use to 10 consecutive days.
Administration
For storage information, see the specific product information within the How Supplied section.
Route-Specific Administration
Otic Administration
-For use in the ear only. Do not use in eyes.
-To avoid risk of infection, use one open bottle per individual patient.
-Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.
-Avoid touching the dropper to the ear, fingers, or other objects to preserve the sterility of the solution.
-Shake well before using. The suspension may be warmed before using; however, avoid heating above the body temperature as this may result in loss of potency.
-The external auditory canal should be thoroughly cleaned and dried with a sterile cotton applicator.
-Patients should lie with the affected ear upward, and then the drops should be instilled. This position should be maintained for 5 minutes to facilitate penetration of the drops into the ear canal. Repeat, if necessary, for the opposite ear.
-If preferred, a cotton wick may be inserted into the external ear canal, and then the cotton may be saturated with the solution. This wick should be kept moist by adding additional solution every 4 hours. The wick should be replaced at least once every 24 hours.
This monograph discusses the use of the colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium in combination for inflammatory and infectious conditions of the ear. Clinicians may wish to consult the individual monographs for more information about the specific adverse reactions of each agent.
Neomycin has been associated with skin sensitization. In clinical studies, up to 1% of patients reported allergic contact hypersensitivity to neomycin. The manifestation of the sensitization is usually rash (unspecified), low-grade erythema with swelling, dry scaling, and pruritus, or it may manifest as a failure to heal. Periodic examinations for these symptoms are advisable, and the patient should discontinue treatment if they are observed. These symptoms regress quickly upon withdrawing the medication.
Neomycin can induce permanent sensorineural hearing loss resulting from cochlear damage, mainly destruction of hair cells in the organ of Corti. The risk of ototoxicity is greater with prolonged use; therefore, the duration of therapy with colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium otic preparations should be limited to 10 consecutive days.
Nephrotoxicity or renal failure (unspecified) has been reported with the use of neomycin and colistin; however, this adverse reaction via the otic route would be extremely rare. To reduce the risk of developing nephrotoxicity, the maximum treatment duration of colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium should be limited to 10 days.
Superinfection may occur after use of drug combinations containing corticosteroids and antimicrobials, such as colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium. Corticosteroids may inhibit the body's defense mechanism against infections, potentially resulting in overgrowth of non-susceptible organism and fungi. Repeat cultures are recommended if the infection does not improve after one week of treatment.
Local adverse reactions have been reported with topical corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone, especially when the preparation is covered by occlusive dressings. These local reactions include burning, pruritus, skin irritation, xerosis, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, skin hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, maceration of the skin, skin atrophy, striae, and miliaria.
This monograph discusses the use of the colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium in combination for inflammatory and infectious conditions of the ear. Clinicians may wish to consult the individual monographs for more information about the specific contraindications and precautions of each agent.
Colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium products are contraindicated in patients who are allergic to any of the components, including those patients with aminoglycoside hypersensitivity or neomycin hypersensitivity. During treatment, monitor patients for the development of neomycin hypersensitivity (i.e., low-grade erythema with swelling, dry scaling, and itching); consider discontinuing treatment if such symptoms are observed. The reaction generally resolves quickly upon stopping neomycin. Patients who develop this reaction should be instructed to avoid future use of neomycin-containing products.
Colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium products are only approved to treat infections caused by susceptible bacteria. Use of the drug to treat an external auditory canal viral infection, such as varicella-zoster (e.g., chickenpox) or other herpes infection (e.g., herpes simplex or vaccinia), is contraindicated. Secondary infections from non-susceptible organisms, such as fungi, may occur with prolonged use of the drug; the recommended maximum duration is 10 days. The hydrocortisone component may mask infection or enhance existing infection. If the infection does not improve after one week, repeat cultures to identify the organism.
Treatment with neomycin-containing products may result in permanent sensorineural hearing impairment (i.e., hearing loss) if the drug is absorbed systemically. Neomycin induced ototoxicity results from cochlear damage, primarily destruction of hair cells in the organ of Corti. The risk increases in patients with renal disease and after prolonged use of the drug. Closely monitor all patients during treatment; extreme caution is advised if administering to patients with tympanic membrane perforation.
Colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium products are for otic administration only. Take precautions to avoid ocular exposure.
Colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium products are classified as FDA pregnancy risk category C. No adequate and well controlled studies have been conducted in pregnant women, and it is unknown if the drug can cause fetal harm. Aminoglycosides, like neomycin, can cause congenital deafness in humans if administered during pregnancy; however, topically administered neomycin is not expected to produce significant systemic concentrations. In animal studies, corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone, have been shown to be teratogenic in animals when administered systemically at relatively low doses and after dermal application. For colistin, no embryo/fetal effects were observed when administering doses equivalent to those delivered with otic application. Administer the drug during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
The manufacturer recommends that colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium products be used with caution in women who are breast-feeding. Hydrocortisone and colistin appear in breast milk following oral administration, although it should be noted that there is a minimal possibility of systemic absorption following topical administration. Trace amounts of endogenous hydrocortisone (cortisol) are excreted in breast milk; however, no reports of exogenous hydrocortisone excretion into breast milk exist. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that another steroid, prednisone, is usually compatible with breast-feeding. Another report states that systemic steroids used in asthma patients are compatible with breast-feeding. Otic use of neomycin results in minimal systemic absorption. Consider the benefits of breast-feeding, the risk of potential infant drug exposure, and the risk of an untreated or inadequately treated condition. If a breast-feeding infant experiences an adverse effect related to a maternally administered drug, healthcare providers are encouraged to report the adverse effect to the FDA.
Safety and efficacy of colistin; hydrocortisone; neomycin; thonzonium products have not been established in infants or neonates.
Per the manufacturer, this drug has been shown to be active against most strains of the following microorganisms either in vitro and/or in clinical infections: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA)
NOTE: The safety and effectiveness in treating clinical infections due to organisms with in vitro data only have not been established in adequate and well-controlled clinical trials.
For the treatment of superficial bacterial infections of the external auditory canal (i.e., otitis externa) caused by susceptible organisms, and for the treatment of infections of mastoidectomy and fenestration cavities caused by susceptible organisms:
Otic dosage:
Adults: 5 drops in affected ear(s) 3 to 4 times daily. Alternatively, insert a cotton wick into the ear canal and saturate with the suspension. Keep the wick moist by adding additional suspension every 4 hours. Replace the wick at least once every 24 hours. Limit the treatment duration to 10 days. If the infection does not improve after 1 week of treatment, cultures should be repeated to verify the identity of the organism and to determine whether therapy should be changed.
Children and Adolescents: 4 drops in affected ear(s) 3 to 4 times daily. Alternatively, insert a cotton wick into the ear canal and saturate with the suspension. Keep the wick moist by adding additional suspension every 4 hours. Replace the wick at least once every 24 hours. Limit the treatment duration to 10 days. If the infection does not improve after 1 week of treatment, cultures should be repeated to verify the identity of the organism and to determine whether therapy should be changed.
Maximum Dosage Limits:
-Adults
Do not exceed 10 days of dosing per treatment course.
-Geriatric
Do not exceed 10 days of dosing per treatment course.
-Adolescents
Do not exceed 10 days of dosing per treatment course.
-Children
Do not exceed 10 days of dosing per treatment course.
-Infants
Safety and efficacy not established.
-Neonates
Safety and efficacy not established.
Patients with Hepatic Impairment Dosing
No dosage adjustment is needed.
Patients with Renal Impairment Dosing
No dosage adjustment is needed.
*non-FDA-approved indication
There are no drug interactions associated with Colistin; Hydrocortisone; Neomycin; Thonzonium products.
-Colistin: Surface active agent that disrupts the structure of the bacterial cell membrane. Colistin binds in a detergent-like fashion to gram-negative bacterial cell membrane phospholipids by displacing calcium and magnesium. The loss of integrity of the membrane and increased permeability of the cell envelope results in leaking of cell contents and, subsequently, cell death. Colistin also actively binds to the lipid A portion of endotoxin in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria, which inactives the endotoxin. The clinical significance of potentially preventing or reducing endotoxin-induced shock is unclear. Colistin has been shown to have bactericidal activity against many aerobic gram-negative organisms by exhibiting 'concentration-dependent killing', which is described as the principle that bactericidal effects increase as the concentration increases.
-Hydrocortisone: Antiinflammatory activity is thought to result from induction of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins (lipocortins). These proteins may control the biosynthesis of potent mediators of inflammation such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes by inhibiting the release of their common precursor, arachidonic acid, which is released from membrane phospholipids by phospholipase A2.
-Neomycin: Neomycin is bacteriocidal. It inhibits bacterial protein synthesis through irreversible binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit of susceptible bacteria. Neomycin is actively transported into the bacterial cell where it binds to receptors present on the 30S ribosomal subunit. This binding interferes with the initiation complex between the messenger RNA (mRNA) and the subunit. As a result, abnormal, nonfunctional proteins are formed due to misreading of the bacterial DNA. Eventually, susceptible bacteria die because of the lack of functional proteins. Neomycin may also inhibit DNA polymerase.
-Thonzonium: Surface active agent that aids in the dispersion and penetration of cellular debris and exudate.
Colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium combination products are applied topically to the ear. Pharmacokinetic data are limited for these combination products.
-Route-Specific Pharmacokinetics
Other Route(s)
Otic Route
When used as directed, significant systemic concentration of colistin and neomycin are not anticipated; however, increased absorption of neomycin may occur if applied to denuded or damaged epithelium. Topical hydrocortisone is metabolized in the skin. Although, like neomycin, systemic absorption of hydrocortisone may increase if applied to skin that is damage or inflamed.