Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of decellularized basement membrane (DBM) grafts as an earlier intervention for neurotrophic keratitis (NK).
Approach:
- Study Design: A retrospective study involving almost 1,000 patients with chronic subclinical or Mackie Stage 1 NK.
- Intervention: Successive applications of Biovance Ocular DBM tissue grafts.
- Outcomes Measured: Corneal epithelial resolution, corneal sensitivity, tear osmolarity, and MMP-9 status.
Key Findings:
- Corneal epithelial resolution occurred in all eyes with complete follow-up.
- Functional corneal sensitivity improved, particularly in advanced Brill severity groups.
- 70–82% of eyes with abnormal baseline osmolarity normalized following treatment.
- MMP-9 positivity decreased, with 56–66% of positive eyes converting to negative.
- Mean DBM use varied by disease severity, with 3.70 grafts in Brill 3, 3.08 in Brill 4, and 4.30 in Brill 5.
Limitations:
- Retrospective study design may limit the ability to establish causation.
- The study focused on a specific stage of NK, which may not generalize to all patients.
Sources:
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