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Amniotic membrane extract eye drops for ocular surface diseases: use and clinical outcome in real-world practice

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Abstract

Purpose

To study the indications and clinical outcomes, in a real-word setting, of amniotic membrane extract eye drops (AMEED) use for ocular surface disease (OSD).

Methods

A retrospective study of patients treated with topical AMEED between January 2018 and January 2020 was conducted. Patients were classified in two groups according to specific OSD—dry eye disease (DED) and wound healing delay (WHD) groups. Demographics, comorbidities, treatment duration and clinical outcomes were analysed.

Results

A total of 50 eyes of 36 patients with or without previous treatments were included. Patients in the DED group presented more systemic comorbidities (83 vs 22%; p < 0.001) and spent more mean time under AMEED treatment (10 vs 7.2 months average) than the WHD group (p = 0.0104). In four patients, long-term treatment (more than 24 months) was reported. Global similar symptomatic improvement was reported for both groups (DED 88.9% vs WHD 100%; p = 0.486), with the WHD group especially consisting in general relief (78%) and the DED group reporting more pain improvement (44%) (p = 0.011). Regarding patients with autologous serum as a previous treatment, no statistical differences were found in subjective or objective improvement. An overall success was achieved in 94.4% of the cases and no adverse events were found.

Conclusion

AMEED administration is a promising mean to treat OSD such as dry eye, persistent epithelial defect and corneal ulcers. Although AMEED may be effective in the treatment of severe DED and persistent epithelial defect or corneal ulcers, conclusions are limited owing to the absence of controlled clinical trials.

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Acknowledgements

Researchers are members of AMEED Research Group and considered co-authors of the present study. They contributed to patient recruitment and follow-up: Miriam Ferrán-Fuertes, Diana Mora Ramírez, Carlos Luis Moser and Mónica Lecumberri López: Hospital General de L’Hospitalet (Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain); Oscar Gris Castellón and Miriam Barbany Rodríguez: Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular (Barcelona, Spain); Sara Martín Nalda and Laia Bisbe López: Hospital Universitari de la Vall d'Hebron (Barcelona, Spain); Noelia Sabater-Cruz, Maite Sáinz de la Maza, Ramon Quintana, Josep Torras Sanvicens, Marc Figueras-Roca and Ricardo P Casaroli-Marano: Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain); Núria Planas: Hospital Sant Joan de Deu Esplugues (Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain); Rafael Iturralde: Hospital Universitario Pamplona (Pamplona, Spain); Miquel Domingo Vinyals: Instituto Oftalmológico Castanera (Barcelona Spain); Jeisibel Malave: Institut Català de la Retina (Barcelona, Spain); Jorge Pradas Chacón, Suhel Elnayef: Consorci Sanitari Terrassa (Terrassa, Spain); Daniela Ortiz: Hospital Joan XXIII Tarragona (Tarragona, Spain); Silvia Bover: Hospital Josep Trueta (Girona, Spain); Noemí Barnils: Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain); Pablo Infiesta Madurga: Fundació Althaia (Manresa, Spain).

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Correspondence to Noelia Sabater-Cruz.

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Sabater-Cruz, N., Figueras-Roca, M., Ferrán-Fuertes, M. et al. Amniotic membrane extract eye drops for ocular surface diseases: use and clinical outcome in real-world practice. Int Ophthalmol 41, 2973–2979 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-021-01856-4

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