Clinical trials of topical interferon therapy of ulcerative viral keratitis.
An open trial suggested that monkey interferon had a therapeutic effect on ulcerative vaccinial keratitis in humans. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of either monkey interferon or drops of idoxuridine (given hourly by day and at 2-hr intervals by night for three days) suggested a therapeutic effect from idoxuridine but not from monkey interferon. Results of experiments with rabbits suggested that a daily application of human interferon (1.1 X 10(7) international units/ml) would be effective in the prevention of herpetic ulcers but might not affect established lesions. Preliminary results are encouraging in a placebo-controlled, randomized trial of human interferon given once daily for seven days for prevention of recrudescence of epithelial herpetic lesions after minimal wiping debridement with a cotton-tipped swab. The design of the trial is closely analogous to that of the experiments with rabbits and permits ethically acceptable, placebo-controlled trials of antiviral agents.
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D003646:Debridement; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D007065:Idoxuridine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010919:Placebos; D011817:Rabbits; D012008:Recurrence
D010919:Placebos; D007372:Interferons; D007065:Idoxuridine