ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Oftalmologica 2000 September-December;42(3-4):33-40

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Effects of latanoprost topical use on the ocular surface

Guglielminetti E., Barabino S., Monaco M., Mantero S., Rolando M.

Background. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the effects of latanoprost 0.005% on the ocular surface in primary open-angle glaucoma patients.
Methods. The group included 14 patients, seven male (overage age 70 years, range 65-85 years). After a 2 week wash-out period, each patient was given one drop a day of latanoprost 0.005% per eye for a 4 month period. The patients there after underwent intraocular pressure measurement, Chochet-Bonnet test, fluorescin shock test (5% solution) and impression cytology as well as routine tests. The patients filled-in a questionnaire to evaluate how well accepted the product was. Conjiunctival brush-cytology was used to quantify HLA-DR, membrane marker used to express inflammatory conditions, with immunostochemical techniques.
Results. After one month one patient was excluded from the study due to systemic symptoms. In the other 13 patients significant statistical differences were not found in corneal sensitivity, impression cytology and 5% fluorescin coloring. On the other hand, the immunostochemical analysis showed a large increase in the HLA-DR expression in patients undergoing latanoprost therapy compared to the control group.
Conclusions. The evaluation of the ocular surface showed no distinct epithelial problems but only an increase in HLA-DR molecules on the conjiunctival epithelium. The latanoprost patients greatly appreciated the drug.