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AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of 0.1% topical salicylic acid (TSA) to treat iatrogenic chronic blepharoconjunctivitis in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), treated with topical prostaglandin analogues (TPAs). METHODS: Totally 60 patients were randomly distributed into 3 equal size groups, two of which treated with 0.1% TSA (OMKASA) and 0.1% topical clobetasone butyrate (TCB; VISUCLOBEN) respectively, and one consisting of untreated controls. The parameters taken into account at baseline (T0) and after 30d (T1) of therapy were: conjunctival hyperemia, lacrimal function tests [Schirmer I test and break up time (BUT)] and intraocular pressure (IOP). RESULTS: Conjunctival hyperemia showed a substantial improvement in both treated groups (<0.001) but not among controls. Similarly, lacrimal function tests displayed an improvement of Schirmer I test in both treated groups (<0.05) and an extension of BUT only in the group treated with 0.1% TSA (<0.05). The IOP increase was statistically significant only in those patients treated with 0.1% TCB (<0.001). CONCLUSION: The 0.1% TSA has proved to be an effective anti-inflammatory treatment of blepharoconjunctivitis affecting glaucoma patients on therapy with TPAs, leading to a sizeable decrease of inflammation as well as both quantitative and qualitative improvement of tear film. Furthermore, differently from 0.1% TCB, it does not induce any significant IOP increase.
Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00161, Italy.
Full article1.4 Quality of life (Part of: 1 General aspects)
2.1 Conjunctiva (Part of: 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma)
11.15 Other drugs in relation to glaucoma (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
11.4 Prostaglandins (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)