Topical Spironolactone in the Treatment of Evaporative Dry Eye Disease.

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is associated with evaporative dry eye syndrome, which is characterized by a reduction in meibum secretion and tear film instability. Present treatments provide only temporary relief, thereby necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies for chronic treatment. This study aims to evaluate topical spironolactone, a medication with anti-mineralocorticoid, anti-androgenic, and anti-inflammatory properties, in treating dry eye. A retrospective observational study was performed on the medical records of 102 patients diagnosed with dry eye disease. These patients were categorized into two groups based on their Schirmer's tear test scores. Various clinical indicators, including subjective global assessment scores, visual acuity, keratitis, conjunctival staining scores, and lid margin health, were evaluated prior to and following treatment with topical spironolactone eye drops. The group with higher Schirmer's scores exhibited improvement in self-reported global assessment scores after treatment. Significant improvements were also observed in keratitis and conjunctival staining scores, visual acuity, and lid margin inflammation. Similarly, the group with lower Schirmer's scores demonstrated improvements in self-reported global assessment scores and visual acuity after treatment. Topical spironolactone may improve tear film quality and address the inflammatory processes associated with MGD and evaporative dry eye. Moreover, the topical administration of spironolactone in an ocular vehicle appears to be well tolerated and may mitigate the risk of systemic adverse effects. Further studies are warranted to explore the long-term effects of topical spironolactone in the treatment of evaporative dry eye disease.

Cardiac Adverse Reactions With COVID-19 Vaccinations.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. The emergency use authorization for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations was a major turning point in the battle against COVID-19. These vaccines have been well-tolerated; however, there have been reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. We present two cases of myocarditis and pericarditis that occurred after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. Although there are other potential etiologies that could explain myocarditis and pericarditis in these cases, it is important to consider the COVID-19 vaccine as a plausible cause. More research is required to investigate the potential adverse effects of the available COVID-19 vaccines.