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Cyclosporine potentially effective as off-label anti-inflammatory
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PHOENIX – Clinicians reported in a poster here at Academy 2012 that cyclosporine 0.05% emulsion, with its safety and minimal side effect profiles, should be considered in cases where topical corticosteroids are normally used.
While Restasis (cyclosporine 0.05%) is approved for treating ocular surface inflammation associated with dry eye, it has also been shown to block angiogenic factors induced by VEGF and inhibit various immune responses, including immunologic rejection of foreign tissue, according to Colatrella, Sartell, Varanelli et al.
The authors said that topical cyclosporine has successfully been used off-label to treat herpes simplex stromal keratitis, allergic conjunctivitis, sclerokeratitis, ocular graft vs. host disease, recurrent corneal erosions, adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, Thygeson’s superficial punctate keratitis, meibomian gland disease, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, preoperative LASIK, transient light sensitivity syndrome, penetrating keratoplasty and pterygium removal.
They reported that cyclosporine is safe for long-term use and does not show the side effect potential that other anti-inflammatories may. Studies have shown most adverse events to be transient and only mild to moderate in severity.
“Since it has no impact on intraocular pressure or viral replication and does not slow wound healing or cause cataract, cyclosporine can safely be used in most clinical scenarios where the benefits of an anti-inflammatory effect are needed,” the authors said in the poster.
Disclosures: Colatrella and Varanelli are members of Allergan’s Speaker’s Bureau.