Source: DGNews  |  Posted 8 years ago

By Cameron Johnston

MADRID, SPAIN -- June 11, 2003 -- Rofecoxib has been shown to be effective in treating anterior uveitis and episcleritis, two painful and cosmetically distressing ocular conditions that, in the past, have been treated with topical steroids and eye-drops.

The study results were presented in a poster at the Annual Meeting of the European Society of Ophthalmology.

A single dose of the cox-2 inhibitor is as effective as either of the two previous regimens, but since it can be accomplished through once a day dosing, could make compliance much less arduous for patients.

In a study conducted at the Lavagna Hospital, department of ophthalmology and immuno-pathology, in Genova, Italy, Dr Pia Allegri and colleagues treated a total of 18 patients (22 eyes) with episcleritis, and a further 32 patients (53 eyes) with anterior uveitis with one of the following regimens:

1- rofecoxib, 50 mg day for three days, followed by 25 mg/day for a further seven days.
2- Cycloplegics (tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 10%) drops QD for seven days
3- Topical steroids (dexamethasone) TID for one week, BID for the next week, and QD for the third week.

Patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months, with regular check-ups at 10, 30, 60 and 180 days.

Among patients with anterior uveitis, those using rofecoxib had a slightly lower response rate at 10 days (72.7%) compared with those using either steroids or cyclopegics (90 and 81% respectively). This difference had evened out by day 30 however.

Similarly, in patients with episcleritis, those using rofecoxib were slower to respond initially: 66% had resolved at day 10, compared with 83% who were using either cycloplegics or steroids. Again, this difference disappeared by day 30 when 85.7% of patients using rofecoxib showed resolution, while the success rate among those using steroids had dropped off to 66%.

All of the episcleritis and 95% of the anterior uveitis had resolved by the end of 6 months among those patients using rofecoxib.

The authors concluded that these findings suggest that either of these conditions can be managed effectively and at a lower cost by using rofecoxib rather than steroids or cycloplegics. The more convenient treatment regimens also would suggest better compliance which would also aid in faster resolution, the investigators concluded.

[Study title: Rofecoxib Useful For Treating Anterior Uveitis And Episcleritis. Abstract 305]