COMPARATIVE STUDY
JOURNAL ARTICLE
RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
RESEARCH SUPPORT, NON-U.S. GOV'T
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Topical 0.1% prednisolone lowers nerve growth factor expression in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients.

Ophthalmology 2006 Februrary
PURPOSE: To compare nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in tears and on the ocular surfaces of normal control and non-Sjögren's type keratoconjunctivitis sicca subjects, and to investigate the effect of 0.1% prednisolone eyedrops on NGF levels in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients.

DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized, comparative clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS: Forty-one keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients and 23 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects.

METHODS: Baseline tear NGF levels were measured in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients and healthy control subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients received 0.1% prednisolone drops in one eye and 0.1% hyaluronic acid drops in the other, 3 times a day for 28 days. Also, impression cytology (IC) and immunostaining for NGF on conjunctival epithelium were performed on both groups.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Tear NGF/total tear protein (TP) concentration ratio, IC and NGF immunocytologic staining, subjective symptom scale, tear breakup time, and Schirmer values.

RESULTS: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients were found to have baseline tear NGF concentrations higher than those of age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (65.9+/-14.5 vs. 122.1+/-45.3 pg/mug, P<0.0001). In keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients, prednisolone treatment for 28 days resulted in a decrease in tear NGF levels, symptom scores, and IC scores, whereas hyaluronic acid treatment had no such effect (68.2+/-25.0 pg/mug vs. 108.0+/-43.4 pg/mug, P<0.0001 for tear NGF/TP ratio; 2.16+/-1.01 vs. 3.39+/-1.50, P = 0.0014 for symptom scale; 1.05+/-0.67 vs. 1.61+/-0.86, P = 0.0317 for IC). Measurements taken at both 14 and 28 days indicated that neither prednisolone nor hyaluronic acid treatment affected breakup time or Schirmer values.

CONCLUSION: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients showed elevated levels of tear NGF, which were decreased by treatment with 0.1% prednisolone. These data suggest that ocular surface NGF may play an important role in ocular surface inflammation processes associated with dry eyes.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app