July 09, 2014
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Ciliary neurotrophic factor yields macular thickness change in eyes with retinitis pigmentosa

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Change in macular thickness was identified as a dose-dependent response to a ciliary neurotrophic factor implant in eyes with retinitis pigmentosa, according to a study.

Data were culled from the phase 2 Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF)-3 and CNTF-4 clinical trials. Study investigators analyzed five patients from the CNTF-3 trial and three patients from the CNTF-4 trial. Mean patient age was 50 years.

Two patients from the CNTF-3 study received a low-dose CNTF implant (250 ng per million cells per 24 hours). Three patients from the CNTF-3 trial and all three patients in the CNTF-4 trial received a high-dose implant (800 ng per million cells per 24 hours).

Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) was used to evaluate macular thickness. FD-OCT imaging was undertaken preoperatively and up to 30 months after implantation to assess macular thickness. A 3% change in mean macular thickness was the benchmark for measurable change.

Among three patients in the CNTF-3 cohort who received a low-dose implant, mean change in mean macular thickness from baseline to 18 months was –4.47 µm to 6 µm.

Among the three patients in the CNTF-3 group who received a high-dose implant, mean macular thickness increased by 19.25 µm in one eye at 18 months. In the CNTF-4 group, mean macular thickness increased by 27.08 µm in one eye and by 31.36 μm in the fellow eye at 30 months.

“Amongst these three responsive high-dose implant eyes, overall thickening of the retina could not be attributed to any specific retinal layer,” the authors wrote.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.