Table 1.
Demographical and clinical data of patients with refractory neurotrophic keratopathy treated with insulin eye drops used alone or in combination with a drug-depository contact lens (DDCL). Abbreviations: NK = neurotrophic keratopathy; cn = cranial nerve; RE = right eye; LE = left eye; OU = both eyes; CL = contact lens; M = male; F = female; CN = cranial nerve; PK = penetrating keratoplasty; DALK = deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty.
| ID | Diagnosis | Sex | Age (y) | Side | NK stage | NK duration (from onset to initiation of study therapy) (days) | Corneal sensitivity at T0 (mm) | Area of epithelial defects at T0 (mm2) | Previous treatments | Combination with DDCL | Complete healing (time in days) | Complications/side effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NK secondary to V cn palsy | M | 58 | RE | II | 60 | 0 | 8.097 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, Vitamin A ointment, autologous serum eye drop, punctual plugs | No (Floppy eyelid syndrome) | Yes (15) | No |
| 2 | NK after failed PK | M | 65 | RE | II | 30 | 0 | 39.645 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, autologous serum eye drop | No (Symblepharon) | Yes (35) | No |
| 3 | NK secondary to V cn palsy | F | 42 | RE | II | 30 | 0 | 63.569 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, Hydrocortisone Sodium Phosphate eye drop, autologous serum eye drop | No (No previous bandage contact leans wearing) | Yes (42) | No |
| 4 | NK secondary to dry eye owing to Sjogren's Syndrome | F | 63 | OU | II | 30 | RE 0 LE 0 |
RE 7.357 LE 6.198 |
Warm compresses, preservative-free tear substitutes, cyclosporine A 0.1 %, autologous serum eye drops | No (No previous bandage contact leans wearing) | Yes (20) | No |
| 5 | NK secondary to V and VII cn palsies | M | 70 | RE | II | 21 | 0 | 29.423 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, Vitamin A ointment, nocturnal patch, lateral tarsorraphy | No (Tarsorrhaphy) | Yes (30) | No |
| 6 | Post-herpetic NK in DALK graft | F | 37 | LE | II | 90 | 10 | 14.477 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, Hydrocortisone Sodium Phosphate eye drop, bandage CL, autologous serum eye drop, acyclovir 800 mg tablets | Yes | Yes (30) | No |
| 7 | NK secondary to V cn palsy | M | 40 | RE | III | 90 | 0 | 20.802 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, Vitamin A ointment, bandage CL, autologous serum eye drop, fluorometholone, punctual plugs | Yes | Yes (20) | No |
| 8 | NK secondary to V and VII cn palsies | F | 45 | RE | II | 28 | 0 | 7.080 | Preservative-free tear substitutes, Vitamin A ointment, bandage CL, topical antibiotics | Yes | Yes (20) | No |