title: Long-term results of treatment with diquafosol ophthalmic solution for aqueous-deficient dry eye.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the preliminary long-term efficacy of diquafosol ophthalmic solution for aqueous-deficient dry eye.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients with mild-to-moderate aqueous-deficient dry eye were enrolled. After a washout period, the patients were treated with 3 % diquafosol ophthalmic solution for 6 months. We assessed 12 subjective dry eye symptoms, corneal and conjunctival staining with fluorescein, tear film break-up time (BUT), lower tear meniscus height measured with anterior-segment optical coherence tomography, Schirmer's testing, and adverse reactions at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after the start of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with diquafosol ophthalmic solution significantly improved dry eye symptoms, corneal staining, BUT, and tear meniscus height at 1 month and maintained the effectiveness for 6 months. Conjunctival staining significantly improved 3 and 6 months after treatment. No significant adverse reactions developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prolonged use of diquafosol ophthalmic solution for 6 months produced significant improvement both subjectively (dry eye symptom score) and objectively (ocular staining score and tear function tests) for aqueous-deficient dry eye.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Room E7, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan, skoh@ophthal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shizuka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000378:metabolism; D005470:Fluorometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058912:Purinergic P2Y Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014500:Uracil Nucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011122:Polyphosphates; D058912:Purinergic P2Y Receptor Agonists; D014500:Uracil Nucleotides; C403315:diquafosol; D019793:Fluorescein