title: Clinical study on interferon treatment of early scarring in filtering bleb.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of needle revision combined with subconjuctival injection of interferon α-2b in reversing early scarring of filtering blebs following trabeculectomy surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five  glaucoma patients (31 eyes) who presented with scarred or encapsulated filtering bleb after glaucoma surgery underwent needle revision in combination with subconjuctival injection of interferon α-2b, and were followed for 12 months. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and filtering bleb morphology were observed post treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time until scarring occurred was 21.0±7.4 days. The average time between recognition of bleb scarring and completion of needle revision was 2.2±0.8 days. The time interval between surgery and needle revision was inversely correlated with the time until needle revision (r = -0.694, P<0.001). The mean IOPs before and after needle revision were 24.2±2.7mmHg and 19.6±3.8mmHg, respectively (t = 5.916，P<0.001). At the 12-month follow-up visit, 18 eyes (58.1%) achieved complete success in IOP control, and 6 eyes (19.4%) had conditional success. The overall success rate for needling was thus 77.4%. Subconjunctival hemorrhage was observed in 4 eyes during the needle revision procedure. Punctate staining was found in the corneal epithelium of 2 eyes. Shallow anterior chamber (Grade I or II) was identified in 5 eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Slit-lamp needle revision combined with subconjunctival injection of interferon α-2b may be efficacious in the treatment of early scarring of filtering blebs, is easy and safe to perform, and may be considered for more widespread application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Lianjiang, Lianjiang, Guangdong Province, China. wangwenhua741204@163.com
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jinxiu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jiahai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002921:Cicatrix / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D018463:Filtering Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular / Q000379:methods; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins