Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy

Purpose: To report the clinical outcomes achieved in refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) through the utilization of insulin eye drops alone or in conjunction with a drug-depository contact lens (DDCL). Observations: This multicentric prospective open-label uncontrolled case series incl...

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Main Authors: Alessandra Mancini, Maura Mancini, Andrea Taloni, Luca Bifezzi, Maria Angela Romeo, Lorenzo Rijillo, Mario Verdiglione, Vincenzo Scorcia, Pasquale Aragona, Giuseppe Giannaccare
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451993624002378
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author Alessandra Mancini
Maura Mancini
Andrea Taloni
Luca Bifezzi
Maria Angela Romeo
Lorenzo Rijillo
Mario Verdiglione
Vincenzo Scorcia
Pasquale Aragona
Giuseppe Giannaccare
author_facet Alessandra Mancini
Maura Mancini
Andrea Taloni
Luca Bifezzi
Maria Angela Romeo
Lorenzo Rijillo
Mario Verdiglione
Vincenzo Scorcia
Pasquale Aragona
Giuseppe Giannaccare
author_sort Alessandra Mancini
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: To report the clinical outcomes achieved in refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) through the utilization of insulin eye drops alone or in conjunction with a drug-depository contact lens (DDCL). Observations: This multicentric prospective open-label uncontrolled case series included consecutive patients with NK refractory to conventional treatment. Insulin eye drops (1 unit/mL) were prescribed 4 times/day in all cases, and a Therapeutic Hyper-CL™ soft contact lens (EyeYon Medical, Ness Ziona, Israel), designed to act as a drug reservoir, was applied in selected patients. Data about stage and duration of NK, corneal sensitivity, previous treatments, rate and speed of healing, changes of NK area over time were collected. Nine eyes of 8 patients (mean age 52.50 ± 12.03 years [95 % CI, 44.13–60.87]) affected by NK refractory to conventional medical therapy were included. All patients received topical insulin, while DDCL was also applied in 3 cases. At T0, the mean area of the corneal epithelial defect was 21.84 ± 18.35 mm2 [95 % CI, 9.86–33.84]. Complete corneal re-epithelialization occurred in all cases, after a mean time interval of 25.78 ± 8.39 days [95 % CI, 20.30–31.26]. Mean reduction rate of epithelial defect areas was −0.81 ± 0.44 mm2/day [95 % CI, −1.16 to −0.46] for patients treated with insulin eye drops, and −0.63 ± 0.30 mm2/day [95 % CI, −0.96 to −0.29] for those treated with insulin eye drops plus DDCL (p = 0.71). Neither adverse events nor episodes of NK recurrence were reported. Conclusions and importance: Topical insulin, used alone or in combination with DDCL, is an accessible, inexpensive, and effective treatment for refractory NK.
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spelling doaj-art-a37f4e48b4a74dc3a3523eb7911fe6532025-08-20T01:57:52ZengElsevierAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports2451-99362024-12-013610222710.1016/j.ajoc.2024.102227Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathyAlessandra Mancini0Maura Mancini1Andrea Taloni2Luca Bifezzi3Maria Angela Romeo4Lorenzo Rijillo5Mario Verdiglione6Vincenzo Scorcia7Pasquale Aragona8Giuseppe Giannaccare9Department of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Ophthalmology Clinic, University of Messina, Messina, 98122, ItalyDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyCompounding Pharmacy, Farmacia Europea, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 88100, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Ophthalmology Clinic, University of Messina, Messina, 98122, ItalyEye Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, 09124, Italy; Corresponding author. Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Università 40, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.Purpose: To report the clinical outcomes achieved in refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) through the utilization of insulin eye drops alone or in conjunction with a drug-depository contact lens (DDCL). Observations: This multicentric prospective open-label uncontrolled case series included consecutive patients with NK refractory to conventional treatment. Insulin eye drops (1 unit/mL) were prescribed 4 times/day in all cases, and a Therapeutic Hyper-CL™ soft contact lens (EyeYon Medical, Ness Ziona, Israel), designed to act as a drug reservoir, was applied in selected patients. Data about stage and duration of NK, corneal sensitivity, previous treatments, rate and speed of healing, changes of NK area over time were collected. Nine eyes of 8 patients (mean age 52.50 ± 12.03 years [95 % CI, 44.13–60.87]) affected by NK refractory to conventional medical therapy were included. All patients received topical insulin, while DDCL was also applied in 3 cases. At T0, the mean area of the corneal epithelial defect was 21.84 ± 18.35 mm2 [95 % CI, 9.86–33.84]. Complete corneal re-epithelialization occurred in all cases, after a mean time interval of 25.78 ± 8.39 days [95 % CI, 20.30–31.26]. Mean reduction rate of epithelial defect areas was −0.81 ± 0.44 mm2/day [95 % CI, −1.16 to −0.46] for patients treated with insulin eye drops, and −0.63 ± 0.30 mm2/day [95 % CI, −0.96 to −0.29] for those treated with insulin eye drops plus DDCL (p = 0.71). Neither adverse events nor episodes of NK recurrence were reported. Conclusions and importance: Topical insulin, used alone or in combination with DDCL, is an accessible, inexpensive, and effective treatment for refractory NK.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451993624002378Insulin eye dropsHyper-CLNeurotrophic keratopathyNKPersistent epithelial defect
spellingShingle Alessandra Mancini
Maura Mancini
Andrea Taloni
Luca Bifezzi
Maria Angela Romeo
Lorenzo Rijillo
Mario Verdiglione
Vincenzo Scorcia
Pasquale Aragona
Giuseppe Giannaccare
Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
Insulin eye drops
Hyper-CL
Neurotrophic keratopathy
NK
Persistent epithelial defect
title Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
title_full Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
title_fullStr Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
title_full_unstemmed Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
title_short Topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug-depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
title_sort topical insulin used alone or in combination with drug depository contact lens for refractory cases of neurotrophic keratopathy
topic Insulin eye drops
Hyper-CL
Neurotrophic keratopathy
NK
Persistent epithelial defect
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451993624002378
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