title: Systemic tetracycline hydrochloride as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of persistent epithelial defects.
abstract: Recent evidence shows tetracyclines have anticollagenolytic activity that may be clinically effective in disease treatment. This led us to use systemic tetracycline (oral tetracycline hydrochloride 1 g daily divided into 4 doses) as adjunctive therapy in treating 18 patients with persistent corneal epithelial defects. Fourteen of 18 patients healed their defects; within 48 hours (9 patients) and within two weeks (the other 5 responding patients). Two patients showed no effect and two showed disease progression.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013752:Tetracycline