Trifluorothymidine and Adenine Arabinoside in the Treatment of Dendritic Keratitis

Antiviral treatment and other therapeutic interventions for herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis

“…“Healing was defined as the situation in which no staining with fluorescein was observed and no epithelial oedema and cystic changes were present in the epithelium covering the site of the original ulcer” (van Bijsterveld 1980). …”

“…Women of childbearing potential have often been systematically deemed ineligible for topical ophthalmic antiviral trials because of an unproven concern about antiviral teratogenicity during pregnancy (Ahrens 2013; Chung 2004; Itoi 1975; Pasternak 2010). Among studies that examined the effect of patient characteristics on outcome, neither age nor gender influenced the rate of corneal healing during antiviral therapy for HSV epithelial keratitis (de Koning 1982; de Koning 1983; Jackson 1984; McCulley 1982; van Bijsterveld 1980; van Bijsterveld 1989). Observational studies have suggested that some ethnic groups may be susceptible to recurrent HSV epithelial keratitis (McDonald 2015; Wilhelmus 1996a), but ethnicity was not significantly associated with recurrence in a cohort followed for 18 months (HEDS Group 2001).…”

“…One study found that the interval between the start of symptoms and the beginning of antiviral treatment correlated with healing time: patients who received earlier treatment healed faster (van Bijsterveld 1980). …”

Antiviral treatment and other therapeutic interventions for herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis

“…Females are under-represented in clinical trials of chemotherapy (Van Spall 2007), and women of child-bearing potential may have been selectively excluded from ophthalmic antiviral treatment trials because of an unproven concern of teratogenicity during pregnancy (Chung 2004; Itoi 1975; Pasternak 2010). Neither gender nor age influences corneal healing during antiviral therapy (de Koning 1982; de Koning 1983; Jackson 1984; McCulley 1982; Van Bijsterveld 1980; Van Bijsterveld 1989). …”

“…Comparative corneal healing rates among placebo, idoxuridine, vidarabine, trifluridine, and acyclovir: overall healing curves estimated from pooled data from 24 studies (Abe 1987; Altinisik 1987; Blake 1977; Colin 1981; Collum 1980; Collum 1985; Coster 1976; Coster 1979; Coster 1980; Denis 1983; Hart 1965; Hoang-Xuan 1984; Høvding 1989; Jackson 1984; Klauber 1982; Kumar 1987; La Lau 1982; Luntz 1963; Markham 1977; McCulley 1982; Van Bijsterveld 1980; Wellings 1972; Yeakley 1981; Young 1982) that enrolled 1168 participants to evaluate placebo control (44 eyes), idoxuridine (278 eyes), vidarabine (262 eyes), trifluridine (201 eyes), and acyclovir (383 eyes). Compared to the healing rate with idoxuridine, the hazard ratios for healing were 1.36 (95% CI 0.81–2.28) for vidarabine, 2.29 (95% CI 1.37–3.83) for trifluridine, and 2.15 (95% CI 1.70–2.72) for acyclovir among included studies.…”