This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: bjo.2007.130013v1 92/7/896    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by Yamada, N Articles by Kamiya, A PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamada, N Articles by Kamiya, A Topic Collections Relevant Article

Open clinical study of eye-drops containing tetrapeptides derived from substance P and insulin-like growth factor-1 for treatment of persistent corneal epithelial defects associated with neurotrophic keratopathy

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube City, Japan
² Department of Ocular Pathophysiology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube City, Japan
³ Department of Pharmacy, Yamaguchi University Hospital, Ube City, Japan

Correspondence to:
Dr N Yamada, Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube City, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan; n.yamada{at}po.cc.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp

Background/aims: Loss of corneal sensation results in the development of persistent corneal epithelial defects. The combination of a substance P-derived peptide (FGLM-amide) and an insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-derived peptide (SSSR) stimulates rabbit corneal epithelial migration in vitro and rabbit corneal epithelial wound closure in vivo. The clinical efficacy of eye-drops containing FGLM-amide and SSSR for the treatment of persistent corneal epithelial defects in individuals with neurotrophic keratopathy was examined in a prospective open study.

Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients (26 eyes) with persistent corneal epithelial defects associated with neurotrophic keratopathy were treated by administration of eye-drops containing FGLM-amide and SSSR. The course of epithelial healing was monitored by slit-lamp examination.

Results: Epithelial defects resurfaced completely in 19 of the 26 eyes (73%) within 4 weeks after treatment initiation. Complete resurfacing of epithelial defects was apparent in 18 of 22 (82%) or in one of four (25%) eyes without or with limbal stem cell deficiency, respectively. No adverse effects of treatment were observed in any subject.

Conclusion: Eye-drops containing FGLM-amide and SSSR induced the rapid resurfacing of persistent epithelial defects in stem cell-positive individuals with neurotrophic keratopathy.

Ethics approval: The open non-randomised clinical study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Yamaguchi University Hospital.

Patient consent: Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects.

Relevant Article

At a glance

Harminder S Dua and Arun D Singh
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2008 92: 869. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]