Contamination Risk of 100% Autologous Serum Eye Drops in Management of Ocular Surface Diseases

A Novel Technique of Aseptic Manufacture of Autologous Serum Eye Drops (ASEDs) and Sterility Analysis of the Bottled Ophtioles

PURPOSE

To introduce a novel technique of the aseptic manufacture of autologous serum eye drops (ASEDs) with a prefiltered closed system and to analyze the sterility of the produced ophtioles between 2018 and 2022.

METHODS

This is a prospective single-center study conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology at a Swiss University Hospital between 2018 and 2022. For regulatory reasons, closed systems for manufacturing ASEDs are strongly recommended. We attached an upstream sterile filter (Sterivex PES0.22 µm Burlington, USA) to a commercially available closed system (COL System Modena, Italy) for manufacturing ASEDs. The goal of this novel approach was to reduce the microbiological contamination of the donated autologous blood. Using the presented manufacturing method, we are able to produce, on average, 56 ophtioles per batch, containing either 1.45 mL or 2.5 mL of autologous serum per ophtiole. For each batch of ASEDs, we performed a microbiological analysis by automated blood culture testing (BACTEC). This system examines the presence of bacteria and fungi.

RESULTS

We analyzed all manufactured batches between 2018 and 2022. None of the 2297 batches and the resulting 129 060 ophtioles showed bacterial or mycotic contamination. During the analyzed period, two batches were discarded: one due to fibrin-lipid aggregations, further microbiological and histological work-up excluded any contamination; another due to false-positive HIV in serological testing. Overall, the contamination rate was 0%, and the batch discharge rate was 0.09%.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of upstream sterile filtration with a commercial closed system for manufacturing ASEDs proved to be effective in ensuring sterility without any contamination over the past 4 years. This is becoming crucial, as the demand for autologous blood products for treating ocular surface disorders, such as refractory dry eyes or nonhealing defects of the corneal epithelium, is on the rise.

Five-Year Risk and Safety Profile of Autologous Serum Eye Drop Therapy

PURPOSE

To evaluate the risk and safety profile of autologous serum eye drop therapy in clinical routine over a period of 5 years.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved all patients treated with autologous serum between July 2014 and December 2019 at a tertiary ophthalmic referral center. The electronic patient record system was searched for all patients with autologous serum eye drop therapy at any time point. These records were subsequently searched for keywords such as infectious keratitis, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, or endophthalmitis at any recorded contact. The probability of an association between the therapy with autologous serum eye drops and infectious complications was investigated independently by three corneal specialists and rated as likely, potential, or unlikely.

RESULTS

In total, 752 patients were treated with autologous serum eye drops between July 2014 and December 2019. There were 5 384 batches with a total of 107 680 bottles of serum eye drops that had been produced and dispensed for these patients during this period. The records of 291 patient showed a combination of autologous serum therapy and at least one keyword for infectious diseases. In 288 patients, individual case analyses revealed an unlikely association between the therapy and infection, as their infectious episodes occurred either before the start of the therapy, more than 1 month after the therapy ceased, or in the contralateral untreated eye in the case of unilateral therapy. Three cases of infectious keratitis were classified as potentially associated with autologous serum therapy. However, all three patients suffered from chronic anterior eye diseases with a high risk of spontaneous infectious complications independent of therapy with autologous eye drops. None of the infectious events was rated as being likely due to the serum eye drops.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum eye drops are often used in patients with severe or chronic anterior eye diseases with an intrinsic risk of infectious diseases. Despite these preexisting risk factors, autologous serum eye drops can be considered safe, even in patients with a compromised ocular surface.

Biological effects of stored platelet-rich plasma eye-drops in corneal wound healing

BACKGROUND/AIMS

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and sterility of stored platelet-rich plasma (PRP) eye-drops for corneal epithelial wound healing compared with those of autologous serum (AS) eye-drops.

METHODS

At our single institution, PRP and AS eye-drops were prepared using peripheral blood obtained from six healthy volunteers and stored at 4°C. Platelet and leucocyte counts and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and fibronectin levels were assessed during storage for up to 4 weeks. Sterility was assessed by culturing 4-week poststorage samples. PRP, AS, and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) eye-drop efficacies were compared using corneal epithelial wound healing assays in vitro and in vivo and monitoring wound areas under a microscope every 3 hours.

RESULTS

Higher platelet and lower leucocyte counts were seen in PRP than in whole blood on the day of preparation. After storage, TGF-β1, EGF, and fibronectin levels were significantly higher in PRP than in AS eye-drops. In vitro and in vivo, PRP eye-drops used on the day of preparation significantly promoted corneal epithelial wound healing compared with PBS. Moreover, PRP eye-drops stored for 4 weeks significantly promoted corneal wound healing compared with PBS and AS eye-drops.

CONCLUSION

PRP eye-drops stored at 4°C for 4 weeks promoted corneal epithelial wound healing with higher levels of growth factors than those observed in AS eye-drops, while maintaining sterility, suggesting that this preparation satisfies the unmet medical needs in the treatment of refractory keratoconjunctival epithelial disorders.

Closed system production of serum eye drops using dockable saline

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

A fully closed system solution to manufacture serum eye drops using diluted serum has remained elusive, necessitating production steps to mitigate bacterial contamination risks in a clean suite environment, hampering production efficiency amid growing demand. We describe our recent implementation of a fully closed manufacturing process at New Zealand Blood Service.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A dockable format for sterile saline manufactured to custom specifications configured with a 15-cm tubing to enable sterile connections was sourced from a local pharmaceutical manufacturer.

RESULTS

From a total of 30,168 eye drop vials manufactured since implementation, the average production time was reduced by up to 45% performed in the general laboratory environment, attributed to eliminating processes performed in a clean suite. No bacterial contamination was observed, demonstrating robust sterile connections.

CONCLUSION

Dockable saline takes serum eye drops manufactured from a functionally closed system to a fully closed system, thereby enhancing patient safety, significantly reducing manufacturing time and cost and transforming production from a highly restrictive process into a portable workflow that is simple, practical and effective.

Ocular sequelae of epidermal necrolysis: French national audit of practices, literature review and proposed management

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are serious and rare diseases, most often drug-induced, and their incidence has been estimated at 6 cases/million/year in France. SJS and TEN belong to the same spectrum of disease known as epidermal necrolysis (EN). They are characterized by more or less extensive epidermal detachment, associated with mucous membrane involvement, and may be complicated during the acute phase by fatal multiorgan failure. SJS and TEN can lead to severe ophthalmologic sequelae. There are no recommendations for ocular management during the chronic phase. We conducted a national audit of current practice in the 11 sites of the French reference center for toxic bullous dermatoses and a review of the literature to establish therapeutic consensus guidelines. Ophthalmologists and dermatologists from the French reference center for epidermal necrolysis were asked to complete a questionnaire on management practices in the chronic phase of SJS/TEN. The survey focused on the presence of a referent ophthalmologist at the center, the use of local treatments (artificial tears, corticosteroid eye drops, antibiotic-corticosteroids, antiseptics, vitamin A ointment (VA), cyclosporine, tacrolimus), the management of trichiatic eyelashes, meibomian dysfunction, symblepharons, and corneal neovascularization, as well as the contactologic solutions implemented. Eleven ophthalmologists and 9 dermatologists from 9 of the 11 centers responded to the questionnaire. Based on questionnaire results, 10/11 ophthalmologists systematically prescribed preservative-free artificial tears, and 11/11 administered VA. Antiseptic or antibiotic eye drops or antibiotic-corticosteroid eye drops were recommended as needed by 8/11 and 7/11 ophthalmologists, respectively. In case of chronic inflammation, topical cyclosporine was consistently proposed by 11/11 ophthalmologists. The removal of trichiatic eyelashes was mainly performed by 10/11 ophthalmologists. Patients were referred to a reference center for fitting of scleral lenses (10/10,100%). Based on this practice audit and literature review, we propose an evaluation form to facilitate ophthalmic data collection in the chronic phase of EN and we also propose an algorithm for the ophthalmologic management of ocular sequelae.

Highlighting the Microbial Contamination of the Dropper Tip and Cap of In-Use Eye Drops, the Associated Contributory Factors, and the Risk of Infection: A Past-30-Years Literature Review

The sterility of eye drop content is a primary concern from manufacturing until opening, as well as during handling by end users, while microbial contamination of the dropper tip and cap are often disregarded. The contamination of these sites during drug administration represents a risk of microbial transmission and ocular infection. In this review, we aim to assess microbial contamination of the dropper tip and cap of in-use eye drops, the associated contributory factors, and the risk of infection. We conducted a literature search of the MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cochrane Central databases. A total of 31 out of 1503 studies were selected. All the studies conducted in different settings that documented microbiologically contaminated in-use eye drops were included. Our review showed that microbial contamination of the dropper tip and cap of in-use eye drops ranged from 7.7 to 100% of the total contaminated tested samples. Documented contributory factors were conflicting across the literature. Studies investigating the association between eye infection and microbial contamination of the dropper tip and cap were scarce. New technologies offer a promising potential for securing the long-term sterility of eye drop content, tips, and caps, which could benefit from more research and well-defined study protocols under real-life scenarios.

Microbial contamination of multiple-dose preservative-free hospital ophthalmic preparations in a tertiary care hospital

Background

It is possible that preservative-free eye drops can be contaminated. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of microbial contamination of preservative-free hospital-prepared anti-infective eye drops and investigate factors that contribute to contamination. This finding may help to raise awareness of this problem to medical healthcare staff and patients in order to prevent the transmission of microorganisms from eye drops to the patients through treatment of pre-existing eye diseases.

Methods

Two hundred and ninety-five eye drop bottles were collected from patients attending Rajavithi Hospital Ophthalmologic outpatient and inpatient department, including both those used by patients at home and those administered in the hospital by medical staff. Samples were taken from the tips of droppers and bottles, and the residual fluid inside the bottles was then cultivated onto different culture plates. The culture results were identified and analyzed according to various factors related to both individual users and the bottles.

Results

Seven different types of eye drops were collected and 71 (24.06%) of the 295 bottles were contaminated. Vancomycin eye drops were the most contaminated. Twenty-six different types of pathogens were identified, most frequently mold (42.98%), and the amount of contamination was higher in tips than in residual fluid inside the bottle. There was no statistically significant difference in contamination between patients used eye drops collected in outpatient units (32.14%) and medical staff used eye drops collected in inpatient settings (23.22%). The only factor that was statistically significant was the number of eye drops used per person. We found that samples from patients who used only up to 2 eye drops suffered contamination (42.8%) more than those from their counterparts who used at least 3 (22.18%), P ​= ​0.02.

Conclusions

Of these preservative-free hospital preparations anti-infective eye drops, 24.06% were contaminated. The number of eye drops used per person was statistically significant in triggering contamination. There is a possibility of number of eyedrops use person may trigger contamination.

Effects of Amniotic Membrane Extract Eye Drops on Persistent Epithelial Defects of the Cornea

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of amniotic membrane extract eye drops (AMEEDs) in patients with persistent epithelial defects (PEDs) of the cornea.Methods: Sixteen patients with PEDs refractory to the conventional treatment were further treated with AMEEDs six times a day. Visual acuity, visual analog scale (VAS), esthesiometer score, and areas of the epithelial defects before and after 1 and 2 months of treatment were evaluated. After 2 months, AMEEDs were considered effective if all epithelial defects were healed, partially effective if the epithelial defects decreased in size compared with the baseline, and ineffective if the epithelial defects increased in size and required additional treatment.Results: After 2 months of treatment with AMEEDs, there was a reduction in the area of epithelial defects (5.2 ± 3.1 mm2 vs. 0.1 ± 0.1 mm2, respectively, p = 0.01), as well as a significant improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (0.8 ± 0.5 logarithm of minimal angle of resolution [LogMAR] vs. 0.6 ± 0.3 LogMAR, respectively, p = 0.03), and VAS scores (4.3 ± 1.0 vs. 2.8 ± 0.7, respectively, p = 0.04) compared with the baseline values. Treatment with AMEEDs was effective in 13 (81.3%) patients and partially effective in three (18.8%) patients.Conclusions: AMEEDs could stimulate epithelial wound healing and improve ocular symptoms in patients with refractory PED. Therefore, AMEEDs could be considered an effective treatment option for refractory PEDs.

Combined therapy of ocular surface disease with plasma rich in growth factors and scleral contact lenses

PURPOSE

To review safety and efficacy of combined plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops and scleral contact lens (SCL) therapy in patients with ocular surface disease.

METHODS

Patients with ocular surface disease of various etiologies were screened for at least 3 months of concurrent treatment with PRGF and SCL. Retrospective pre- and post-treatment measurements were collected, including patient satisfaction, severity and frequency of dry eye symptoms measured by a modified Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye (SANDE) questionnaire, visual acuity, and number of concurrent treatments.

RESULTS

26 patients with ocular surface disease were included in the study with 20 patients answering the questionnaire (77% response rate). There were no adverse events reported. Most patients thought the combined therapy was better than previous treatments and would recommend to others (80%, 90% respectively). SANDE scores significantly decreased after use of concurrent therapy. There was a small but significant decrease in the number of other concurrent treatments. Visual acuity was unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective cohort study found PRGF used in combination with SCL is safe and significantly decreases symptoms in patients with recalcitrant ocular surface disease.

Short- and Long-Term Stability of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors Eye Drops

PURPOSE

To analyze whether plasma rich in growth factors (PRGFs) eye drops preserve their activity and biological properties after storage for 9 and 12 months at -20°C, and at 4°C, and at room temperature (RT) for 3 and 7 days in comparison to fresh samples (t0).

METHODS

PRGF eye drops were obtained from 6 healthy donors. Then, they were stored for 9 and 12 months at -20°C. At each time, different PRGF eye drops samples were thawed and maintained at RT or at 4°C for 3 and 7 days. Platelet-derived growth factor-AB, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-1, and thrombospondin-1 were analyzed at each time and temperature of storage. In addition, the pH level, the microbial contamination, and the proliferative potential on primary human corneal stromal fibroblasts human keratocytes of each obtained PRGF eye drops were also evaluated.

RESULTS

All growth factor levels were preserved at each time and storage condition. No differences were observed on the human keratocytes proliferation after treatment with PRGF eye drops at any studied time or temperature. No microbial contamination was observed in any of the PRGF eye drops. Finally, the pH levels increased significantly after 9 and 12 months of storage at -20°C compared with t0.

CONCLUSIONS

PRGF eye drops can be stored for up to 12 months without reduction of the main growth factors and proteins and without any microbial contamination. Furthermore, the biological activity of the PRGF eye drops is maintained after storing for 3 and 7 days at 4°C or at RT.

Progress in the use of plasma rich in growth factors in ophthalmology: from ocular surface to ocular fundus

Introduction: The use of blood derivatives and especially Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF), for regenerative purposes has been a common trend along the last decades in the field of oral surgery, dermatology, orthopedics, and more recently in ophthalmology.Areas covered: PRGF is a type of platelet-rich plasma that is being explored for the treatment of ocular injuries. The present review article highlights 50 ophthalmology-related publications about the application of PRGF in the treatment of acute and chronic pathologies in ophthalmology as well as most relevant challenges and future prospects.Expert opinion: PRGF technology provides a wide range of formulations that can be used therapeutically in many different acute and chronic ocular pathologies. In addition to eye drops enriched with autologous growth factors, PRGF enables the preparation of both immunologically safe and fibrin-based formulations. Recent advances in the field have promoted PRGF storage for 12 months under freezing conditions, its daily use for 7 days at room temperature and the freeze-dried formulation. The thermally treated immunosafe formulation has shown promising clinical results for the treatment of several diseases such as Sjögren syndrome, graft versus host disease or cicatrizing conjunctivitis. In addition, several fibrin formulations have been preclinically evaluated and clinically incorporated as an adjuvant to ocular surface or glaucoma surgeries, dermal fat graft procedures, limbal stem cell expansion and retinal surgeries. The present review explores the latest scientific and clinical data, current challenges, and main prospects of this technology for the treatment of several ocular injuries.

Amniotic membrane extract eye drops for ocular surface diseases: use and clinical outcome in real-world practice

PURPOSE

To study the indications and clinical outcomes, in a real-word setting, of amniotic membrane extract eye drops (AMEED) use for ocular surface disease (OSD).

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients treated with topical AMEED between January 2018 and January 2020 was conducted. Patients were classified in two groups according to specific OSD-dry eye disease (DED) and wound healing delay (WHD) groups. Demographics, comorbidities, treatment duration and clinical outcomes were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 50 eyes of 36 patients with or without previous treatments were included. Patients in the DED group presented more systemic comorbidities (83 vs 22%; p < 0.001) and spent more mean time under AMEED treatment (10 vs 7.2 months average) than the WHD group (p = 0.0104). In four patients, long-term treatment (more than 24 months) was reported. Global similar symptomatic improvement was reported for both groups (DED 88.9% vs WHD 100%; p = 0.486), with the WHD group especially consisting in general relief (78%) and the DED group reporting more pain improvement (44%) (p = 0.011). Regarding patients with autologous serum as a previous treatment, no statistical differences were found in subjective or objective improvement. An overall success was achieved in 94.4% of the cases and no adverse events were found.

CONCLUSION

AMEED administration is a promising mean to treat OSD such as dry eye, persistent epithelial defect and corneal ulcers. Although AMEED may be effective in the treatment of severe DED and persistent epithelial defect or corneal ulcers, conclusions are limited owing to the absence of controlled clinical trials.

Clinical evaluation of allogeneic eye drops from cord blood platelet lysate

BACKGROUND

Current treatments for several corneal lesions show limited efficacy. Here we report the clinical evaluation of the efficacy of a novel eye drop preparation produced in a public cord blood (CB) bank.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a multicentre, retrospective, consecutive case study we evaluated 33 patients (46 eyes) unresponsive to conventional treatments who required urgent intervention. The patients were given allogeneic eye drops obtained from cord blood platelet lysate (CBED) to treat severe ocular surface lesions under a compassionate use protocol. The CBED were prepared from CB units donated for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation that did not contain the minimum stem cell dose required for this use. Patients were grouped by acute conditions (neurotrophic ulcers: group I; other corneal ulcers: group II; corneal burns: group III), and chronic conditions (ocular graft-versus-host disease: group IV; severe dry eye syndrome: group V). The patients received one or two drops of the product to the affected eye four to six times per day for 19 days. A further 19-day cycle of treatment could be repeated according to the initial clinical response.

RESULTS

Patients received a median of 19 CBED vials (interquartile range 19-57, range 19-442) to complete the therapy. Group I-II-III patients showed full and partial ulcer recovery in 25 (78%) and six (19%) eyes respectively. One eye (3%) did not respond to treatment. For groups IV-V improvement was reported for 12 (85%) eyes and lesions worsened on treatment in both eyes (15%) of one patient. No severe adverse events were directly attributed to CBED.

DISCUSSION

Promptly available CBED resulted in a well-tolerated allogeneic treatment that showed evidence of efficacy in this cohort of patients. These positive results support further studies on CBED from platelet lysate as a novel product of CB banks. A prospective clinical trial in neurotrophic keratitis (NCT03084861) is ongoing to confirm these preliminary data.

Recent developments in regenerative ophthalmology

Regenerative medicine (RM) is one of the most promising disciplines for advancements in modern medicine, and regenerative ophthalmology (RO) is one of the most active fields of regenerative medicine. This review aims to provide an overview of regenerative ophthalmology, including the range of tools and materials being used, and to describe its application in ophthalmologic subspecialties, with the exception of surgical implantation of artificial tissues or organs (e.g., contact lens, artificial cornea, intraocular lens, artificial retina, and bionic eyes) due to space limitations. In addition, current challenges and limitations of regenerative ophthalmology are discussed and future directions are highlighted.

An Environmental Control Experiment for Contamination of the Production and Storage of 20% Autologous Serum Eye Drops

Purpose: To investigate the sterility of autologous serum eye drops used for ocular surface diseases. Methods: A total of 100 patients were enrolled. The serum was prepared as follows: 20% serum (20% S), 20% serum with dexamethasone (0.02 mg/ml) (20% S + Dex), and 20% serum with levofloxacin (0.1 mg/ml) (20% S + Lev). Serum samples were collected for normal microbial cultivation at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 days. The last samples were also assessed on the 28th day by airtight microbial cultivation. Results: A total of 2400 samples were cultured, and the bacterial contamination rates of 20% S, 20% S+ Dex, and 20% S + Lev group were 4.75%, 3.38%, and 0.88%, respectively, for normal microbial cultivation. There was no significant difference in bacterial contamination among the three groups with times (P = .502). Bacterial contamination of the 20% S + Lev group showed a significant difference in comparison with the 20% S or 20% S + Dex group (P < .05) in two culture methods; however, no significant difference was found between the 20% S and 20% S + Dex group (P = .208). There were two samples positive for fungi in the 20% S and 20% S + Dex group and three samples in the 20% S + Lev group in normal cultivation during 28 days. None of the samples was positive with fungi in airtight cultivation on the 28th day. There was also less bacterial contamination in airtight cultivation than in normal cultivation for the three groups on the 28th day. Conclusions: Our study shows that 20% autologous serum drops can be safely prepared and stored at 4°C in an open system under a strict protocol for at least 28 days, and antimicrobial agents could reduce the risk of contamination.

Evaluation of microbial contamination of canine plasma eyedropper bottles following clinical use in canine patients

OBJECTIVE

To investigate microbial contamination of canine plasma eye drops when used clinically and to compare the effect of two different eyedropper bottles on contamination rate.

METHODS

Forty-six bottles containing plasma were randomly dispensed for use on 42 dogs with ulcerative keratitis. Of these, 23 were standard eyedropper bottles and 23 were Novelia^® bottles designed to prevent contamination. After use for up to 2 weeks, samples for bacterial culture were obtained from a drop of plasma, the bottle tip, the plasma inside the bottle, and the corneal surface. Fungal culture was performed from a drop of plasma.

RESULTS

The overall microbial contamination rate was 17.4% (8/46 bottles); however, only one bottle had growth from the plasma inside the bottle. There was a lower contamination rate of Novelia^® bottles (3/23 = 13.0%) compared to standard bottles (5/23 = 21.7%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .57). There were also no significant differences in contamination rate of bottles used greater than 7 days compared to less than or equal to 7 days, or in bottles used greater than 4 times daily compared to 4 times daily or less. Three corneal samples (6.5%) had bacterial growth, but none matched contamination from the bottles.

CONCLUSIONS

Novelia^® bottles may decrease contamination of plasma eye drops used clinically. However, while microbial contamination of plasma bottles was documented, no clinically relevant complications were observed. This study supports safe use of plasma eye drops for up to 2 weeks when refrigerated and dispensed from either Novelia^® or standard eyedropper bottles.

[Autologous serum tears: Long-term treatment in dry eye syndrome]

INTRODUCTION

Dry eye disease is a multifactorial pathology of the ocular surface. The high incidence of this pathology, as well as its significant impact on quality of life and vision and its financial cost, makes it a real public health problem. While the treatment of mild cases is generally simple and effective, treatment of severe forms is often disappointing. The use of autologous serum tears (AST) represents a therapeutic alternative for the most severe cases. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of long-term AST treatment in patients with severe dry eye disease refractory to conventional treatment or secondary to systemic diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome or Graft versus Host disease (GVH), or ocular pathologies such as neurotrophic keratitis, chemical burns and ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a monocentric retrospective observational study conducted on 47 patients, with 83 eyes treated with autologous serum eye drops for isolated or secondary dry eye disease at the Marseille Public Hospitals between April 2014 and April 2017. The patients' subjective symptoms (ocular surface disease index [OSDI] score), their degree of satisfaction and the side effects were collected using questionnaires. Tear Break Up Time (BUT) and Schirmer scores were noted. A clinical evaluation based on fluorescein staining (Oxford score) was carried out prior to treatment with AST at P0 followed by 5 periods: P1 (between 1 and 3 months), P2 (3 to 9 months), P3 (9 to 15 months), P4 (15 months to 24 months), and P5 (>24 months).

RESULTS

Out of the 83 eyes treated, the mean age was 54.39±21.56. There were 20 males (42.55 %) and 27 females (57.44 %); treatment indications consisted mainly of 25.53 % GVH, 21.27 % severe dry eye disease and 19.14 % Sjögren syndrome. The mean duration of follow-up was 9.82 months±15.50. The OSDI score decreased by 19.32 points±29.37 (P<0.05) between P0 and P1 and by 23.06 points±18.41 (P<0.05) between P0 and P4. The Oxford clinical score showed a significant decrease by the third month of treatment, between P0 and P2, by 1.32 points±1.76 (P<0.05). The Schirmer test and the BUT also showed an improvement in dry eye symptoms over time with AST, significantly at P1 (P<0.05).

DISCUSSION

Complementary biological analyzes on the composition of AST are under way in order to identify predictive factors of effectiveness; patients not responding to AST treatment might respond to allogeneic serum from healthy donor cord blood.

CONCLUSION

On this first series of 83 eyes treated with ASD, clinical efficacy was noted in most of the patients. No infectious complications were reported, and the satisfaction rate was very high.

Platelet gel: a new therapeutic tool with great potential

Chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, represent a serious clinical problem for patients and clinicians. Management of these wounds has a strong economic impact worldwide. Complications resulting from injuries are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. Chronic wounds lead to infections, painful dressings and prolonged hospitalisation. This results in poor patient Quality of Life and in high healthcare costs. Platelet concentrates (PC) are defined as autologous or allogeneic platelet derivatives with a platelet concentration higher than baseline. PC are widely used in different areas of Regenerative Medicine in order to enhance wound healing processes; they include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet gel (PG), platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), serum eye drops (E-S), and PRP eye drops (E-PRP). This review highlights the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet gel (PG) preparation for clinical use.

Healing of a soft tissue wound of the neck and jaw osteoradionecrosis using platelet gel

AIM

Bone osteoradionecrosis is a serious complication of radiation treatment. Current treatment approaches are not curative and treatment response is often poor leading to high social and healthcare costs.

CASE REPORT

We report on the first case of osteoradionecrosis with successful restitutio ab integro by repeated administration of platelet gel (PLT-gel) and surgery in a critically ill patient. The administration of PLT-gel during a severe septic episode helped regeneration of bone and soft tissues, shortening the hospital stay of the patient. It was also noted that following applications of PLT-gel, both the use of morphine and the numbers of infective episodes were reduced.

CONCLUSION

Additional studies are needed to confirm the promising effect of PLT-gel for the treatment of osteoradionecrosis.

Treatment of severe chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease using 100% autologous serum eye drops from a sealed manufacturing system: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To analyse patients with chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) under treatment with 100% autologous serum eye drops from a sealed manufacturing system.

METHODS

17 patients with chronic ocular GvHD received 100% autologous serum eye drops from single use vials manufactured in a sealed system. Retrospective analysis included visual acuity, corneal staining, frequency of artificial tears, ocular symptoms by means of a questionnaire and information on subjective side effects and cost compensation.

RESULTS

Data of prior to autologous serum eye drops therapy and at a 6-month follow-up were obtained. They demonstrated a significant increase in visual acuity (logMAR oculus dexter/right eye (OD) 0.5±0.32 to 0.4±0.3; oculus sinister/left eye (OS) 0.6±0.35 to 0.3±0.35; p=0.177/0.003) and significant improvement in corneal staining (Oxford grading scheme: OD from 3±1.03 to 2±1.43, OS from 4±1.0 to 2±1.09, p=0.004/0.001) and ocular symptoms (ocular surface disease index: 88±20.59 to 63±22.77; p=0.02). Frequency of artificial tears was reduced and no side effects were reported. Patient satisfaction was 100%, and cost compensation by health insurance reached 80%.

CONCLUSIONS

100% autologous serum eye drops using a sealed manufacturing system were efficient in improving the ocular surface, patient symptoms and visual acuity without side effects. It seems to be safe to use 100% autologous serum despite earlier suspicions regarding immune complex accumulations and exacerbation of ocular surface inflammation. The potential effects of serum levels of systemic immunosuppressives through readministration onto the ocular surface need to be elucidated.

Long-term use of autologous serum 50% eye drops for the treatment of dry eye disease

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of 50% autologous serum (AS) eye drops after long-term use in a large cohort of patients with dry eyes.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients treated with 50% AS eye drops at our institution between June 2008 and January 2013. Records were reviewed for clinical history, systemic risk factors, dry eye etiology, patients' symptoms, and adverse events. Ocular surface evaluation included Schirmer testing with topical anesthesia, fluorescein staining, and ocular surface disease index. Data were reviewed at initial visit, 1 month, and every 3 to 6 months during treatment with AS. Paired t tests were performed to compare the progression of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.

RESULTS

A total of 123 eyes of 63 patients were evaluated with a mean follow-up of 12 months (range, 3-48 months). Corneal fluorescein staining (mean baseline, 1.77 ± 1.1) improved at the 3- to <6-month, 6- to <12-month, and final follow-up (mean: 1.2 ± 1.0, 1.3 ± 1.0, and 1.1 ± 1.1; P = 0.003, 0.017, and 0.0003, respectively). Schirmer scores (mean baseline, 6.6 ± 6.5 mm) improved at the 12- to 24-month follow-up (mean = 10.7 ± 11.4, P = 0.03), whereas ocular surface disease index scores (mean baseline, 54.1 ± 22.3) improved at the 3- to <6- and 6- to <12-month follow-up (mean: 49.5 ± 8.2 and 39.3 ± 21.4, P = 0.029 and 0.003, respectively). No complications were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Fifty percent AS eye drops seem to be a safe and effective long-term treatment for dry eye disease, especially in patients with severe disease who have exhausted all other conventional forms of treatment.

Ophthalmic use of blood-derived products

There is a wide spectrum of blood-derived products that have been used in many different medical and surgical specialties with success. Blood-derived products for clinical use can be extracted from autologous or allogeneic specimens of blood, but recombinant products are also commonly used. A number of blood derivatives have been used for a wide range of ocular conditions, from the ocular surface to the retina. With stringent preparation guidelines, the potential risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases is minimized. We review blood-derived products and how they are improving the management of ocular disease.

Outcomes of phacoemulsification in patients with chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of phacoemulsification in patients with ocular graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

METHODS

The occurrence of cataracts, cataract surgery, and its outcomes were analyzed in the medical records of 229 patients (458 eyes) with ocular GVHD. Outcome measures included pre- and postoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and the rate of postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Of the 458 eyes evaluated, 58 were pseudophakic; from the 400 phakic eyes, 238 (59 %) presented with cataracts and 62 (26 %) underwent cataract surgery. Analysis of postoperative complications and visual outcomes at 1 month was performed in 51 eyes in which detailed surgical and immediate postoperative records were available. Preoperatively, the mean CDVA was 0.67 ± 0.57 LogMAR (Snellen 20/93), improving postoperatively to 0.17 ± 0.18 (Snellen 20/29) at 1 month (P < 0.0001), and to 0.13 ± 0.14 (Snellen 20/26) by the final follow-up visit (P < 0.0001). Postoperative complications included corneal epithelial defects (8 %), filamentary keratitis (6 %), worsening of corneal epitheliopathy (16 %), posterior capsular opacification (18 %), and cystoid macular edema (4 %). A corrected distance visual acuity of 20/30 or better was achieved in 87 % of the eyes; suboptimal CDVA improvement was attributable to severe ocular surface disease, pre-existing advanced glaucoma, and prior macular surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Phacoemulsification in patients with chronic ocular GVHD is a safe and efficacious procedure resulting in significant visual improvement. Overall, postoperative adverse events responded well to timely management.

Platelet derivatives in regenerative medicine: an update

Prior preclinical and clinical studies support the use of platelet-derived products for the treatment of soft and hard tissue lesions. These regenerative effects are controlled by autocrine and paracrine biomolecules including growth factors and cytokines contained in platelet alpha granules. Each growth factor is involved in a phase of the healing process, such as inflammation, collagen synthesis, tissue granulation, and angiogenesis collectively promoting tissue restitution. Platelet derivatives have been prepared as platelet-rich plasma, platelet gel, platelet-rich fibrin, and platelet eye drops. These products vary in their structure, growth factors, composition, and cytokine concentrations. Here, we review the current use of platelet-derived biological products focusing on the rationale for their use and the main requirements for their preparation. Variation in the apparent therapeutic efficacy may have resulted from a lack of reproducible, standardized protocols for preparation. Despite several individual studies showing favorable treatment effects, some randomized controlled trials as well as meta-analyses have found no constant clinical benefit from the application of platelet-derived products for prevention of tissue lesions. Recently, 3 published studies in dentistry showed an improvement in bone density. Seven published studies showed positive results in joint regeneration. Five published studies demonstrated an improvement in the wound healing, and an improvement of eye epithelial healing was observed in 2 reports. Currently, at least 14 ongoing clinical trials in phase 3 or 4 have been designed with large groups of treated patients (n > 100). Because the rationale of the therapy with platelet-derived compounds is still debated, a definitive insight can be acquired only when these large randomized trials will be completed.