EXTENDED REPORT

Clinical and biological efficacy of preservative-free NAAGA eye-drops versus levocabastine eye-drops in vernal keratoconjunctivitis patients

A Leonardi¹, D Bremond-Gignac², M Bortolotti¹, D Violato¹, P Pouliquen³, L Delval³, J M Grouin⁴ and I A Fregona¹

¹ Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Italy
² Service d’Ophtalmologie, Hôpital Robert Debré, 48, Boulevard Sérurier, 75935 Paris Cedex, France
³ Laboratoires Théa, 12, rue Louis-Blériot, Z.I. du Brézet, 63017 Clermont-Ferrand, France
⁴ University of Rouen, 1 rue Thomas Becket, 76821 MONT-SAINT-AIGNAN cedex France

Correspondence to:
A Leonardi, Clinica Oculistica, Department of Neuroscience, Ophthalmology Unit, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padua, Italy; andrea.leonardi{at}unipd.it

Aims: This comparative and randomised pilot study assessed the clinical and biological efficacy of Naaxia Sine® eye-drops versus levocabastine eye-drops in the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC).

Methods: Twenty-three VKC patients were randomised and treated bilaterally for 28 days with N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAGA) or levocabastine (LEVO) eye-drops. The primary efficacy variable, overall evolution of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) tear concentrations, was assessed in a masked fashion on D0, D7 and D28. Clinical symptoms and signs were reported at the same time points. Biological parameters were analysed with a non-parametric rank-based approach. Global tolerance was assessed by the investigator and patient.

Results: At all time points, ECP tear levels were significantly reduced in the NAAGA compared with the LEVO group (p = 0.023). Reduction of eosinophil leucocytes and tear lymphocytes was higher not significant in the NAAGA group. The same trend was observed for the evolution of total ocular symptom score. There were no significant differences between treatment groups in the occurrence of adverse effects, except for burning which was more frequent in the LEVO group (p = 0.002).

Conclusion: The anti-eosinophilic actions of NAAGA were shown by a significant reduction of ECP tear concentrations. A decreased lymphocyte count and an overall improvement of the symptomatology were also noted. Moreover, the tolerability of NAAGA appeared to be better.

Abbreviations: ECP, eosinophil cationic protein; LEVO, levocabastine; NAAGA, N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate; VKV, vernal keratoconjunctivitis

URL and trial registration number: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/NCT00357019

Competing interests: AL, DB-G, MB, DV, JMG and IF have no financial interest in Laboratoires Théa and Naaxia Sine®. PP and LD are employees of Laboratoires Théa.

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