Simple measures for acute hordeolum

Date First Published:

March 11, 2011

Last Updated:

April 26, 2011

Report by:

Michael Stewart, CT3 Emergency Medicine (Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital)

Three-Part Question:

In [patients with acute hordeolum] is [treatment with warm compresses effective] in [reducing complications and time to resolution]

Clinical Scenario:

A nine year old child is brought to the emergency department with a tender, red swelling on her eyelid. You diagnose hordeolum (stye) and recommend treatment with warm compresses four times a day. A colleague later challenges your advice and asks what evidence there is for it.

Search Strategy:

MEDLINE 1950-2011; EMBASE 1980-2011; CINAHL 1981-2011; via National Library for Health

Search Details:

(exp hordeolum/ OR exp meibomian glands/ OR hordeol$.ti,ab OR stye$.ti,ab OR (gland AND (zeis OR moll))) AND (compr$.ti,ab OR hot.ti.ab OR heat.ti,ab OR warm.ti,ab OR massag$.ti,ab)

Outcome:

134 Papers were identified by the stated search, including one Cochrane review. None of these answered the three-part question.

Author Commentary:

The use of warm compresses and massage are widely advocated as a treatment for acute hordeolum, but the efficacy of the method has not been evaluated.

Bottom Line:

There is no evidence to confirm the best method of treating this common problem. Simple, topical treatments including massage and heat therapy can be suggested.