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. 1996 Nov;80(11):969–972. doi: 10.1136/bjo.80.11.969

Risk factors for herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis recurring during treatment of stromal keratitis or iridocyclitis. Herpetic Eye Disease Study Group.

K R Wilhelmus 1, C R Dawson 1, B A Barron 1, P Bacchetti 1, L Gee 1, D B Jones 1, H E Kaufman 1, J Sugar 1, R A Hyndiuk 1, P R Laibson 1, R D Stulting 1, P A Asbell 1
PMCID: PMC505673  PMID: 8976723

Abstract

AIMS: Possible risk factors were evaluated for herpes simplex virus (HSV) epithelial keratitis in patients with stromal keratouveitis. METHODS: The study population included 260 patients who had active stromal keratitis and/or iridocyclitis without epithelial disease and who were enrolled in one of three clinical trials of the Herpetic Eye Disease Study. Study treatment involved a 10 week course of topical placebo, topical prednisolone phosphate, or topical prednisolone phosphate with oral acyclovir. All groups received topical trifluridine four times daily for 3 weeks then twice daily for another 7 weeks. Patients were examined for HSV epithelial keratitis for 16 weeks. RESULTS: Dendritic or geographic epithelial keratitis occurred in 12 (4.6%) study patients. Adverse effects attributable to trifluridine prophylaxis were acute allergic blepharoconjunctivitis in 10 (3.8%) study patients and corneal epithelial erosions in 11 (4.2%) study patients. No significant difference in the occurrence of HSV epithelial keratitis was found among the study treatment groups: one (2.0%) of 49 topical placebo treated patients, nine (6.5%) of 138 patients treated with topical corticosteroids without acyclovir, and two (2.7%) of 73 patients treated with topical corticosteroids and oral acyclovir. Univariate exponential models suggested that patients with a history of previous HSV epithelial keratitis and non-white patients were more likely to develop HSV epithelial keratitis during treatment of stromal keratouveitis. CONCLUSION: Individuals with prior HSV epithelial keratitis and certain ethnic groups may have a higher rate of recurrent epithelial keratitis during the acute treatment of HSV stromal keratouveitis.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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