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Oral pilocarpine useful in Sjögren’s patients with dry eye
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Researchers found that oral pilocarpine is effective in treating dry eye in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome who were resistant to traditional treatment, according to Kawakita and colleagues in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology.
In 15 patients, the dry eye occurred as a complication of Sjögren syndrome and was too severe to be controlled with conventional conservative treatment.
Depending on the severity of dry eye symptoms, patients received either 2.5 mg or 5 mg of pilocarpine, each three times per day.
At 3 months, dry eye sensation declined to 1.7 from 2.5 at baseline.
Eye pain scores also declined to 1.0 at 3 months, from 1.7 at baseline.
Fluorescein staining scores and rose bengal staining also declined by 3 months, according to researchers.
Tear film break-up time increased from 2.6 at baseline to 1.6 seconds at month 1 and, finally, 3.3 at month 3.
The researchers concluded that oral pilocarpine is effective as a new option for treating severe dry eye. – by Abigail Sutton
Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.
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