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Study shows efficacy of lifitegrast in relieving dry eye symptoms
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Four weeks of treatment with lifitegrast 5% ophthalmic solution in patients with dry eye disease resulted in subjective relief of symptoms, according to a recently published study.
Lifitegrast (Xiidra, Shire) is a novel, FDA-approved integrin antagonist that prevents the activation of T-cells and the consequent triggering of the inflammatory cascade.
In this study, dry eye symptoms were evaluated in 14 patients before and after treatment with lifitegrast for a period of 28 days. Patients were mostly female, and the average age ranged between 23 and 62 years.
The Ocular Surface Disease Index (ODSI) questionnaire was used before and after the treatment to quantify the severity of patient symptoms, visual function and quality of life. During the study period, participants were allowed to use lubricating drops but no other medication, in addition to the one drop of lifitegrast twice a day in each eye.
The results of the t-test indicated that the post-treatment OSDI score was significantly different from the score at baseline, with no difference between male and female scores.
The authors recognized that the small sample size and lack of a control group were limitations in this study. However, patient-reported outcomes reflected the effectiveness of this new pharmacological option in relieving the symptoms of dry eye by blocking the inflammatory cascade.
“Furthermore, the analysis of data obtained in this study may set the foundation for the development of larger prospective inferential studies on the potential long-term therapeutic benefits of lifitegrast for treating dry eye disease,” the authors concluded. – by Michela Cimberle
Disclosure: De Paz reports no financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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