title: Efficacy and Safety of Topical Atorvastatin for the Treatment of Dry Eye Associated with Blepharitis: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate if topically applied atorvastatin safely decreases corneal fluorescein staining in dry eyes associated with blepharitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten dry eye and blepharitis (DEB) patients were enroled in a prospective pilot study. All patients were treated with topical atorvastatin (50 μM) 8 times a day for 4 weeks and allowed to continue with their existing dry eye treatment. The patients were examined weekly for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measure was corneal fluorescein staining. Secondary outcome measures were tear film break-up time (BUT), Schirmer I testing, blepharitis score and bulbar conjunctival injection. The subjective efficacy was evaluated with global symptom and facial analogue scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An improvement in corneal fluorescein staining in the treated eye by >1 point from baseline to completion of the trial at week 4 was found in 9 of 10 patients (p < 0.01). Topical atorvastatin significantly improved the tear film BUT (p < 0.01), blepharitis score (p < 0.05) and bulbar conjunctival injection (p < 0.05). The global symptom score and facial analogue score also improved (p < 0.05). There were no side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical atorvastatin is a potential therapy for DEB patients. Larger comparative clinical studies are required to establish the efficacy and safety of topical atorvastatin.
authors.affiliation: Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.
authors.forename: Kenneth G-J
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wakefield
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Billson
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000150:complications*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019793:Fluorescein