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Effects of topical low-dose preservative-free hydrocortisone on intraocular pressure in patients affected by ocular surface disease with and without glaucoma

  • Glaucoma
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of short-term treatment for ocular surface disease (OSD) with topical low-dose (1,005 mg) preservative-free hydrocortisone in one hundred patients with and without glaucoma.

Methods

This was an open label non-randomized clinical trial. Patients with OSD with and without primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) received topical low-dose (1,005 mg) preservative-free hydrocortisone twice daily in each eye for 2 weeks. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination at baseline (T0) and at 1 (T1) and 2 (T2) weeks post-treatment. At each visit, the intraocular pressure (IOP) and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire scores were recorded; the Schirmer test was performed only at T0 and T2.

Results

The OSDI score significantly decreased in both the POAG and no-POAG groups (both p < 0.0001) after hydrocortisone treatment, with no difference between the two groups (p = 0.72). There were no significant differences in IOP and Schirmer test results between T0 and T2 in both treatment groups (p = 0.68 and p = 0.83, respectively).

Conclusions

Topical low-dose (1,005 mg) preservative-free hydrocortisone is safe and effective for improving OSD symptoms both in patients with and without POAG.

Trial registration

The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov under NCT04536129 on 01/09/2020 (“retrospectively registered”).

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy

    M. Filippelli, R. dell’Omo, S. Bartollino, P. Napolitano & C. Costagliola

  2. “Villa Dei Fiori” Hospital, Acerra, Naples, Italy

    A. Gelso & A. Russo

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, University Della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy

    M. Rinaldi

  4. Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy

    G. Campagna

Authors
  1. M. Filippelli
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  2. R. dell’Omo
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  3. A. Gelso
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  4. M. Rinaldi
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  5. S. Bartollino
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  6. P. Napolitano
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  7. A. Russo
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  8. G. Campagna
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  9. C. Costagliola
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Contributions

Conceptualization, Ciro Costagliola and Mariaelena Filippelli; methodology, Roberto dell’Omo and Pasquale Napolitano; formal analysis and investigation, Aldo Gelso, Giuseppe Campagna, Alessandra Russo, Michele Rinaldi, and Silvia Bartollino; writing — original draft preparation, Ciro Costagliola and Mariaelena Filippelli; writing — review and editing, Ciro Coatagliola, Mariaelena Filippelli, Roberto dell’Omo, and Giuseppe Campagna; supervision, Ciro Costagliola. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Filippelli.

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Ethics approval

The study protocol was approved by the scientific technical committee of the University of Molise (CTS 11/2019).

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Written informed consent was obtained from all study participants prior to participation.

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Obtained.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Filippelli, M., dell’Omo, R., Gelso, A. et al. Effects of topical low-dose preservative-free hydrocortisone on intraocular pressure in patients affected by ocular surface disease with and without glaucoma. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 260, 247–253 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-021-05345-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-021-05345-3

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