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Efficacy of medical treatments for vernal keratoconjunctivitis : A systematic review and meta-analysis
Roumeau, Inès Coutu, Adrien Navel, Valentin Pereira, Bruno Baker, Julien S. Chiambaretta, Frédéric Bremond-Gignac, Dominique Dutheil, Frédéric
Roumeau, Inès
Coutu, Adrien
Navel, Valentin
Pereira, Bruno
Baker, Julien S.
Chiambaretta, Frédéric
Bremond-Gignac, Dominique
Dutheil, Frédéric
Abstract
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a severe type of allergic conjunctivitis for which treatment strategies are still under debate.
Objectives
This study sought to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of medical treatments for VKC.
Methods
The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched to assess the efficacy of treatments for VKC. Random-effect meta-analyses on changes in clinical scores of symptoms and signs between baseline and after treatment, stratified on treatment classes, were computed. Meta-regressions were searched for potential influencing parameters.
Results
Included were 45 studies (27 randomized controlled trials and 18 prospective cohort studies), 1749 patients (78% were men; mean age, 11.2 years), and 12 different treatment classes. Mast cell stabilizers (MCSs; usually considered as first-line therapy), cyclosporine, and tacrolimus were the most studied drugs (in three-quarters of studies). Overall, all clinical scores improved. Total symptom and sign score decreased for MCSs (effect size, −3.19; 95% CI, –4.26 to −2.13), cyclosporine (effect size, −2.06; 95% CI, −2.72 to −1.40), and tacrolimus (effect size, −2.39; 95% CI, −3.36 to −1.43). No significant differences were shown depending on treatment classes, concentration, age, sex, baseline activity scores, and atopy. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated similar results.
Conclusions
This study confirms the efficacy of MCSs in the treatment of VKC. Efficacy of cyclosporine and tacrolimus did not differ, suggesting that tacrolimus is a good alternative to cyclosporine for severe cases of VKC. Further studies are needed to compare other drugs and their precise place in treatment strategy.
Keywords
chronic disease, immunomodulators, topical drugs, atopy, inflammation, pediatrics
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Book
Volume
148
Issue
3
Page Range
822-834
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled