Plasma Rich in Growth Factors for the Treatment of Cicatrizing Conjunctivitis

Borja de la Sen-Corcuera; Jesús Montero-Iruzubieta; Ronald M Sánchez-Ávila; Gorka Orive; Eduardo Anitua; Manuel Caro-Magdaleno; Jesús Merayo-Lloves

doi:10.2147/OPTH.S252253

Plasma Rich in Growth Factors for the Treatment of Cicatrizing Conjunctivitis

Clin Ophthalmol. 2020 Jun 17:14:1619-1627. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S252253. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Borja de la Sen-Corcuera^{1

2}, Jesús Montero-Iruzubieta^{3

4}, Ronald M Sánchez-Ávila^{1

5}, Gorka Orive^{1

2}, Eduardo Anitua^{1

2}, Manuel Caro-Magdaleno⁴, Jesús Merayo-Lloves⁵

Affiliations

¹ Biotechnology Institute (BTI), Vitoria, Spain.
² University Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Oral Implantology (UIRMI), Vitoria, Spain.
³ Clínica Cartujavisión, Sevilla, Spain.
⁴ Hospital Universitario Virgen de Macarena, Sevilla, Spain.
⁵ Instituto Universitario Fernández-Vega, Fundación de Investigación Oftalmológica, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.

Abstract

Purpose: The objective was to evaluate the clinical results obtained from the use of immunosafe plasma rich in growth factors (isPRGF) in the treatment of patients with cicatrizing conjunctivitis (CC) who had not responded to the usual therapy.

Patients and methods: This is a retrospective study that included patients diagnosed with CC, in whom isPRGF was used in different phases (I: eye drops; II: eye drops and injectable; III: eye drops, injectable and surgical treatment) to achieve control of the inflammation. As a clinical follow-up of the patients, the better corrected visual acuity (BCVA), degree of inflammation (measured from 1 to 4), the severity of the CC, Schirmer I test, IOP and TBUT were analyzed. The adverse events were also evaluated.

Results: Ten eyes (6 patients) were evaluated, 50% corresponded to Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and 50% to ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid. The mean age was 59.7 ± 16.5 (39-80) years, and 50% were women. Fifty per cent of the cases were initially considered severe CC, and 10% of the cases (one eye of one patient) were considered severe CC at the end of the treatment (p = 0.046). The initial degree of inflammation was 2 in 4 eyes, 3 in two eyes, and 4 in 4 eyes, and final inflammation degree was 1 in all cases (p = 0.004). Twenty per cent of the cases achieved stability in Phase I of the treatment with immunosafe PRGF, 70% with both Phases I and II, and only one case underwent Phase III to achieve stability. The IOP improved significantly (p = 0.027) though the BCVA, TBUT and Schirmer I test showed no significant changes. The follow-up time was 23.1 ± 6.7 (13.6-30.3) months. No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusion: Treatment with PRGF technology in its injectable and topical immunosafe formulations may be a novel alternative for the treatment of patients with CC, given its complement activity modulating effect, as well as its anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic and regenerative properties.

Keywords: Stevens–Johnson syndrome; blood derivatives; immunosafe plasma rich in growth factors; isPRGF; ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid.

Grants and funding

In the present clinical study, no financial support was received from grants or research projects. The sponsor (BTI) participated in the design, analysis of results and presentation of the manuscript for publication.