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.
OBJECTIVE
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.


CONCLUSIONS
Eye-drops containing FGLM-amide and SSSR induced the rapid resurfacing of persistent epithelial defects in stem cell-positive individuals with neurotrophic keratopathy.
Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube City, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan. n.yamada@po.cc.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
N
N
Yamada
R
R
Matsuda
N
N
Morishige
R
R
Yanai
T-i
TI
Chikama
T
T
Nishida
T
T
Ishimitsu
A
A
Kamiya
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea / Q000294:innervation; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
D004338:Drug Combinations; D009842:Oligopeptides; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C112946:phenylalanyl-glycyl-leucyl-methioninamide; C530429:seryl-seryl-seryl-arginine