Topical 0.1% Prednisolone Lowers Nerve Growth Factor Expression in Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Patients.
- Author:
Seung Ah CHUNG
1
;
Hyung Keun LEE
;
Kyoung Yul SEO
;
Soon Won HONG
;
Hyung Chang KIM
;
Eung Kweon KIM
Author Information
1. The Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. eungkkim@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca;
Nerve growth factor;
Prednisolone
- MeSH:
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay;
Epithelium;
Humans;
Hyaluronic Acid;
Inflammation;
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca*;
Keratoconjunctivitis*;
Nerve Growth Factor*;
Ophthalmic Solutions;
Prednisolone*
- From:Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society
2006;47(11):1720-1728
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To compare nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in tears and on the ocular surface of normal controls with those of non-Sjogren type keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) subjects, and investigate the effect of 0.1% prednisolone eye drops on NGF levels in KCS patients. METHODS: Baseline tear NGF levels were measured in 41 KCS patients and 23 healthy control subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). KCS patients received 0.1% prednisolone drops in one eye, and 0.1% hyaluronic acid drops in the other eye, three times daily for 28 days. Impression cytology (IC) and immunostaining for NGF on conjunctival epithelium was performed for both groups. RESULTS: KCS patients were found to have higher baseline tear NGF concentrations compared to age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (65.9+/-14.5 vs. 122.1+/-45.3, p<0.0001). In KCS patients, prednisolone treatment for 28 days resulted in a decrease in tear NGF levels, symptom scores and IC scores, whereas hyaluronic acid treatment had no such effect (68.2+/-25.0 pg/microgram vs. 108.0+/-43.4 pg/microgram, p<0.0001 for tear NGF/TP ratio; 2.16+/-1.01 vs. 3.39+/-1.50, p=0.0014 for symptom scale; 1.05+/-0.67 vs. 1.61+/-0.86, p=0.0317 for IC). Measurements taken at both 14 and 28 days indicate that neither prednisolone nor hyaluronic acid treatment affected BUT or Schirmer values. CONCLUSIONS: KCS patients showed elevated levels of tear NGF, which were decreased by treatment with 0.1% prednisolone. These data suggest that the ocular surface NGF may play an important role in ocular surface inflammation processes associated with dry eyes.
