Efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light delivered by the C.STIM® for treatment of Meibomian gland dysfunction

INTRODUCTION

Intense pulsed light (IPL) appears to be a promising treatment for Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), the most common cause of dry eye disease. C.STIM® is a new IPL device. We report the first safety and efficacy study in clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with moderate MGD treated with C.STIM® were included. Three IPL sessions were performed at D0, D15 and D45 with 4 shots per side (fluence of 8J/cm2). Clinical evaluation was performed at D0, D45 and M3 with several parameters: BUT, OSDI and Oxford scales, meibomian gland evaluation (morphology, quality and expressibility of meibum). The Lacrydiag® imaging device was used for objective evaluation of interferometry, meibography, tear meniscus height and NIBUT. The primary endpoint was the change in NIBUT between D0 and M3. Data collection was retrospective. Longitudinal analysis and a non-parametric linear mixed-effects model (R software) were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients were included. NIBUT increased significantly between D0 and M3, with a mean difference of 2.6seconds (95% CI 2.0; 3.1, P<0.001). The other parameters studied also changed significantly, except for meibography (percentage of loss and morphology) and tear meniscus height. No adverse event was noted.

CONCLUSION

C.STIM® appears safe and effective in the treatment of MGD, although a randomized controlled trial is needed to validate these results.

[Corneal perforation with tyrosine kinase inhibitor chemotherapy: REGORAFENIB]

INTRODUCTION

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are active in a variety of metastatic cancers. They have a good general tolerance with mainly hepatic and dermatological side effects. Rarely, ophthalmologic side effects may occur: eyelash abnormalities, eyelids abnormalities, disorders of the ocular surface with ocular dryness or even corneal erosions that can even lead to perforation. Regorafenib is a new oral multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits multiple protein kinases, including those involved in tumor angiogenesis, oncogenesis and tumor microenvironment.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We describe, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of complicated bilateral ulcers of corneal perforation in a patient under REGORAFENIB.

OBSERVATION

20-year-old patient with metastatic chondrosarcomas of the pelvis, mandible and thorax received chemotherapy with REGORAFENIB. A few weeks after initiation of treatment, he experienced an increased dry eye syndrome associated with bilateral corneal ulcers complicated by perforation. Despite discontinuation of chemotherapy and maximal medical and surgical treatment (iterative amniotic membrane grafts and corneal transplantation), the progression was unfavorable.

DISCUSSION

This is the first known case of corneal perforation under REGORAFENIB. The pathophysiology is multifactorial. On the one hand, this chemotherapy targets angiogenesis (VEGFR), oncogenesis (KIT, RET, RAF1, BRAF) and the tumor microenvironment (PDGFR, FGFR). On the other hand, other triggers are added, namely mixed dry eye syndrome, hypovitaminosis A (anorexia), the neurotrophic component, as well as the toxicity of chemotherapy via tears.

CONCLUSION

First described case of corneal perforation under REGORAFENIB, non-regressive at the end of chemotherapy, and despite medical and surgical treatments. Ophthalmologic surveillance is therefore necessary for patients under chemotherapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, as serious ocular complications, especially corneal ones, may occur.

[What will cataract surgery look like in the future? Alternatives in the pipeline]

Phacoemulsification is the most frequently performed surgery in the world. Over the past few years, this surgery seems to have reached a plateau with no further innovative breakthroughs. In this paper, we focus on alternatives techniques, the latest innovations, and the research and development pipeline in this field.

Herpes Simplex Virus Acute Retinal Necrosis during Pregnancy

Purpose

As pregnancy is liable to modify immune response, the authors explored the immune functions of a pregnant patient with acute retinal necrosis (ARN) to ascertain whether pregnancy may promote the onset of infection.

Methods

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in ocular, uterus cervix, and cerebrospinal fluid samples. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured for 72 hours with mitogens and cellular proliferation was assessed using (methyl-3H) thymidine incorporation. Flow cytometry was performed for T, B, and NK cell count using CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8 (T cells), CD19, CD20 (B cells), and a combination of CD3–CD16 and CD56 monoclonal antibodies (NK cells).

Results

Unilateral ARN, with a confluent peripheral necrotizing retinitis extending throughout the entire retina, was diagnosed clinically. The herpetic infection (herpes simplex virus 1) was confirmed using PCR of aqueous humor specimen. The immunologic study performed during and after pregnancy showed that T and B lymphocytes were quantitatively normal and responses to concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, and pokeweed mitogens were weaker during pregnancy.

Conclusions

A reduced response to mitogens, with postdelivery normalization, was noted in a pregnant woman with an ARN syndrome. Further studies are needed to explore the antigen-specific immune deviation in pregnant patients with ARN.

Reflectance confocal microscopy for mucosal diseases

Non-invasive, real-time microscopic imaging using in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has been demonstrated to be a useful tool for the evaluation of skin diseases and in particular for skin neoplasms. Recently, the RCM devices dedicated to the skin have also been applied to perform "virtual biopsies" of the oral, genital and ocular mucosa. In fact, mucosa is a sensitive area where non invasive imaging techniques are of high interest in order to spare biopsies and excisions. Mucosa is particularly suitable for RCM because of its thin or absent cornified layer and its thin epithelium that allows a deeper penetration of the laser with the consequent possibility of exploring deeper tissue levels. Besides, being useful for the diagnosis, RCM may be helpful to identify the area to be biopsied in case of large or multifocal lesions and may be regarded as a complementary technique for non invasive assessment of treatment efficacy. The RCM features of healthy mucosa are described and a revision of the literature of the mucosal diseases that can be diagnosed by RCM has been performed.