title: Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose for the treatment of severe dry eye associated with Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of a new formulation of methylcellulose, preservative-free 0.5% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), for the treatment of dry eye. In the clinical part of our study, two groups of dry-eye patients, those with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and those without (non-SS), were treated topically with 0.5% HPMC and evaluated for symptoms, ocular surface vital staining, tear breakup time (BUT), and tear evaporation rate from the ocular surface at 40% ambient humidity (TEROS40). In the in vivo part of the study, rose bengal uptake was measured in human conjunctival epithelial cells, which were cultured and incubated with or without 0.5% HPMC. Although symptoms improved in both groups, rose bengal and fluorescein staining and BUT improved significantly only in the SS group. TEROS40 increased for 30 min after instillation of 0.5% HPMC, but not after use of 0.1% sodium hyaluronate or saline-based artificial tears. Rose bengal uptake by cultured conjunctival epithelial cells was blocked by 0.5% HPMC. These findings suggest that 0.5% HPMC provides long coverage of and protection for the ocular surface. Patients with severe dry eye, such as in SS, are good candidates for this treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinozaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008297:Male; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012395:Rose Bengal / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012395:Rose Bengal; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose