In praise of povidone-iodine application in ophthalmology.

Polyvinyl pyrrolidone or povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is a water-soluble complex formed by the combination of iodine and a water-soluble polymer, polyvinyl pyrrolidone. This complex exerts bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal action by gradually releasing free iodine at the site of application to react with pathogens. In ophthalmology, PVP-I is used as a disinfectant and antiseptic agent for preoperative preparation of the skin and mucous membranes and for treating contaminated wounds. PVP-I has been shown to reduce effectively the risk of endophthalmitis in various ocular procedures, including cataract surgery and intravitreal injections; however, it has also been used in the treatment of conjunctivitis, keratitis, and endophthalmitis, with promising results especially in low-resource situations. PVP-I has been associated with complications such as postoperative eye pain, persistent corneal epithelial defects, ocular inflammation, and an attendant risk of keratitis. In cases of poor PVP-I tolerance, applying PVP-I at lower concentrations or using alternative antiseptics such as chlorhexidine should be considered. We provide an update on the efficacy of PVP-I in the prophylaxis and treatment of conjunctivitis, keratitis, and endophthalmitis and a comprehensive analysis of the current literature regarding the use of PVP-I in the management of these ocular conditions. Also, PVP-I-related adverse effects and toxicities and its alternatives are discussed. The goal is to present a thorough evaluation of the available evidence and to offer practical recommendations for clinicians regarding the therapeutic usage of PVP-I in ophthalmology.

Keratouveitis and conjunctivitis caused by Euphorbia ingens: A case review.

Euphorbia ingens is a ubiquitous plant who has a milky sap. It can accidentally harm human´s eye by its caustic nature, causing conjunctivitis, keratitis, uveitis, anterior staphyloma and corneal scarring in untreated patients. We present the case of a patient whose eye came into contact with the milky sap. He suffered conjunctivitis, corneal epithelial defect and uveitis. After intensive treatment, his eye made a complete recovery. We recommend gloves and protecting glasses before handling these types of plants.

Safety of Lebrikizumab in Adults and Adolescents with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: An Integrated Analysis of Eight Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Lebrikizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to interleukin (IL)-13, thereby blocking the downstream effects of IL-13 with high potency. OBJECTIVES: To report integrated safety of lebrikizumab in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis from phase 2 and 3 studies. METHODS: Five double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled studies; one randomized open-label study; one adolescent open-label, single-arm study; and one long-term safety study were summarized in two datasets: (1) placebo-controlled week 0-16 (All-PC Week 0-16) in patients who received lebrikizumab 250 mg every 2 weeks (LEBQ2W) versus placebo and (2) patients who received any dose of lebrikizumab at any time during the studies (All-LEB). Exposure-adjusted incidence rates (IR)/100 patient-years (PY) are provided. RESULTS: A total of 1720 patients received lebrikizumab (1637.0 PY exposure). In All-PC Week 0-16, the frequency of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was similar between treatment groups; most events were nonserious and mild or moderate in severity. The most frequently reported TEAEs were atopic dermatitis (placebo) and conjunctivitis (LEBQ2W). Frequencies of conjunctivitis cluster were 2.5% (placebo) and 8.5% (LEBQ2W), and all events were mild or moderate (All-LEB 10.6%, IR, 12.2). Frequencies of injection site reactions were 1.5% (placebo) and 2.6% (LEBQ2W; All-LEB 3.1%, IR, 3.3). Frequencies of adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation were 1.4% (placebo) and 2.3% (LEBQ2W; All-LEB 4.2%, IR, 4.5). CONCLUSION: The safety profile for lebrikizumab consisted of TEAEs that were mostly nonserious, mild or moderate in severity, and did not lead to treatment discontinuation. The safety profile was similar in both adults and adolescents. CLINICALTRIALS: GOV: NCT02465606, NCT02340234, NCT03443024, NCT04146363, NCT04178967, NCT04250337, NCT04250350, NCT04392154 Safety of lebrikizumab in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: an integrated analysis of eight clinical trials (MP4 34165 KB).

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic (persistent) skin disease that occurs in up to 7% of adults and approximately 20% of children. Lebrikizumab is a monoclonal antibody that goes against interleukin-13, which is overexpressed in patients with AD. Lebrikizumab is given by injection and is being studied to treat AD. It has been tested in several studies in both adults and adolescents (patients age ≥ 12 ­ < 18 years). In some of those studies, patients used lebrikizumab by itself, and in other studies patients used lebrikizumab in combination with low-to-moderate strength topical (rubbed on the skin) corticosteroid medicines. We examined the safety of lebrikizumab by combining the data from eight of those studies and analyzing the data in two datasets. The first dataset compared the safety of lebrikizumab 250 mg injected every 2 weeks with placebo (no drug in the injection) in four 16-week studies in which neither patient nor physician knew whether lebrikizumab or placebo was being injected. The second dataset included four additional studies and examined the safety of lebrikizumab in all patients receiving at least 1 injection of lebrikizumab at any dose. A total of 1720 patients took lebrikizumab. In the first dataset the frequency of adverse events was similar between lebrikizumab and placebo, and most events that did occur were mild or moderate in severity and were not serious. The most common adverse event in patients treated with placebo was atopic dermatitis, and in patients treated with lebrikizumab it was conjunctivitis. Frequencies of adverse events in the conjunctivitis cluster, which included a search for the terms of conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, bacterial conjunctivitis, viral conjunctivitis, and giant papillary conjunctivitis, were 2.5% in placebo and 8.5% in lebrikizumab, and all events were mild or moderate. Frequencies of injection site reactions were 1.5% in placebo and 2.6% in lebrikizumab, and frequencies of adverse events that led to patients stopping treatment were 1.4% in placebo and 2.3% in lebrikizumab. In the second dataset, the rate of these adverse events did not increase with longer duration of lebrikizumab. The safety profile for lebrikizumab consisted of adverse events that were mostly nonserious, mild or moderate in severity, and did not lead to stopping treatment. The safety profile was similar in both adults and adolescents.

Real-Life Experience of Tralokinumab for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Multicentric Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Tralokinumab, the first fully human monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to interleukin-13, was safe and effective for treating atopic dermatitis (AD) in clinical trials, but real-life experience is still limited. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of tralokinumab in severe AD in a real-life multicenter prospective cohort. METHODS: Adult patients with severe AD were enrolled between January 2022 and July 2022 and received tralokinumab subcutaneously for 16 weeks. Objective and subjective scores were collected at baseline, weeks 6 and 16. Adverse events were reported throughout the study. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were included. An improvement of at least 75% on the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI 75) was achieved in 66.7% of patients at week 16. The median objective and subjective scores at week 16 were significantly (p < 0.001) lower than those at baseline. Combination with cyclosporine was sometimes necessary at the beginning of treatment, and addition of upadacitinib was required for some patients with very severe disease during the treatment. The most frequent adverse events were flares of eczema (23.8%) and reactions at injection site (19.0%). No cases of conjunctivitis were reported. Four patients (19.0%) discontinued treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Tralokinumab is an effective first-line biotherapy for severe AD. However, therapeutic response may be progressive. Safety data were reassuring. Atopic dermatitis flares or reactions at the injection site may lead to discontinuation of treatment. A history of conjunctivitis on dupilumab is not a contraindication to the initiation of tralokinumab.

Short-term exposure to air pollution and outpatient visits for conjunctivitis: a time-series analysis in Urumqi, China.

Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory disease of the conjunctival tissue caused by a variety of causes; despite the conjunctiva being directly exposed to the external atmospheric environment, the important role of air pollution is not fully evaluated, especially in areas with poor air quality undergoing rapid economic and industrial development. Information on 59,731 outpatient conjunctivitis visits from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2020 was obtained from the Ophthalmology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University (Urumqi, Xinjiang, China), and data on six air pollutants including particulate matter with a median aerometric diameter of less than 10 and 2.5 mm (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) from eleven standard urban background fixed air quality monitors were also recorded. A time-series analysis design and a quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lagged nonlinear model (DLNM) were used to fit the effect of exposure to air pollutants on the risk of conjunctivitis outpatient visits. Further subgroup analyses were conducted for gender, age, and season, as well as the type of conjunctivitis. Single and multi-pollutant models showed that exposure to PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, and O3 was associated with increased risk of outpatient conjunctivitis visits on the lag 0 day and various other lag days. Variations in the effect estimates on direction and magnitude were found in different subgroup analyses. We conducted the first time-series analysis with the longest duration as well as the largest sample size in Northwest China, which provides evidence that outpatient conjunctivitis visits is significantly associated with air pollution in Urumqi, China. Meanwhile, our results demonstrate the effectiveness of SO2 reduction in reducing the risk of outpatient conjunctivitis visits in the Urumqi region and reaffirm the need to implement special air pollution control measures.

House dust mite sublingual immunotherapy tablet safety in adolescents with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: Worldwide clinical trial results.

BACKGROUND: The house dust mite (HDM) sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablet is a treatment option for allergic rhinitis with/without conjunctivitis (AR/C) approved in adults worldwide and in adolescents in some countries. OBJECTIVE: To supplement existing adolescent HDM SLIT-tablet safety data by conducting the MT-18 trial in adolescents. METHODS: MT-18 (EudraCT:2020-000446-34) was a phase 3, open-label, single-arm, 28-day safety trial of daily HDM SLIT-tablet (12 SQ-HDM dose) in European adolescents (12-17 years) with HDM AR/C, with or without asthma. The primary end point was at least 1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). MT-18 results were compared with 12 SQ-HDM adolescent subpopulation data from previously described 1-year phase 3 trials conducted in North America (P001; clinicaltrials.gov:NCT01700192) or Japan (TO-203-3-2; JapicCTI:121848). RESULTS: No treatment-related anaphylaxis, epinephrine administrations, severe local swellings, severe mouth or throat edema, or eosinophilic esophagitis occurred in the trials. For MT-18 (N = 253), P001 (N adolescents = 189), and TO-203-3-2 (N adolescents = 206), the percentage of adolescents treated with 12 SQ-HDM reporting any TEAE was 88%, 95%, and 93%, respectively, and the percentage reporting any treatment-related AE (TRAE) was 86%, 93%, and 66%, respectively. The most common TRAEs were local application site reactions. Most TRAEs were mild in intensity and were typically experienced the first 1 to 2 days of treatment. There were no asthma-related TEAEs with the HDM SLIT-tablet. The safety profile appears similar between adolescents with or without asthma at baseline. CONCLUSION: The HDM SLIT-tablet was well tolerated in European, North American, and Japanese adolescents with HDM AR/C, indicating safety of the HDM SLIT-tablet is insensitive to age or geographic region. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: (P001: NCT01700192); EudraCT: (MT-18; 2020-000446-34); JapicCTI: (TO-203-3-2; 121848).

Ocular Adverse Events in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis Treated With Upadacitinib: A Real-Life Experience.

Background: Dupilumab, an interleukin (IL)-4 receptor-α inhibitor that blocks IL-4 and IL-13 signaling pathways, is an effective and well-tolerated therapy for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). However, an increased incidence of dupilumab-associated conjunctivitis has been reported in patients treated with dupilumab. In contrast, upadacitinib, a selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, is reported to have lower incidence of conjunctivitis than dupilumab. Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate ocular adverse events in adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD treated with upadacitinib after discontinuing treatment with dupilumab. Methods: In total, 33 patients were examined at the start of treatment with upadacitinib after discontinuation of dupilumab, then again after 4 weeks and every 12 weeks up to a maximum of 72 weeks. Results: Among the patients in the study, 14 had developed dupilumab-associated conjunctivitis during dupilumab treatment and had complete resolution of ocular symptoms after the switch to upadacitinib within the 1-month follow-up visit. In addition, only 1 patient treated with upadacitinib developed an episode of conjunctivitis. This condition was of mild severity and it spontaneously resolved quickly. Interestingly, this patient had no history of dupilumab-associated conjunctivitis. Conclusions: All patients who developed dupilumab-associated conjunctivitis experienced complete remission on upadacitinib and only 3% of the patients in our sample developed conjunctivitis after the start of treatment with upadacitinib. In light of this, upadacitinib appears to be a prudent and safe treatment option for AD patients with uncontrolled ocular symptoms associated with dupilumab therapy.

Multicenter prospective observational study of dupilumab-induced ocular events in atopic dermatitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Although ocular adverse events are frequent in AD patients treated with dupilumab, their characterization remains limited due to a lack of prospective studies with a systematic ophthalmological examination. OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence, characteristics and risk factors of dupilumab-induced ocular adverse events. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, and real-life study in adult AD patients treated with dupilumab. RESULTS: At baseline, 27 out of 181 patients (14.9%) had conjunctivitis. At week 16 (W16), 25 out of 27 had improved their conjunctivitis and 2 remained stable and 34 out of 181 patients (18.7%) had dupilumab-induced blepharoconjunctivitis: either de novo (n = 32) or worsening of underlying blepharoconjunctivitis (n = 2). Most events (27/34; 79.4%) were moderate. A multivariate analysis showed that head and neck AD (OR = 7.254; 95%CI [1.938-30.07]; p = 0.004), erythroderma (OR = 5.635; 95%CI [1.635-21.50]; p = 0.007) and the presence of dry eye syndrome at baseline (OR = 3.51; 95%CI [3.158-13.90]; p = 0.031) were independent factors associated with dupilumab-induced blepharoconjunctivitis. LIMITATIONS: Our follow-up period was 16 weeks and some late-onset time effects may still occur. CONCLUSION: This study showed that most dupilumab-induced blepharoconjunctivitis cases are de novo. AD severity and conjunctivitis at baseline were not found to be associated risk factors in this study.

Dupilumab-Induced, Tralokinumab-Induced, and Belantamab Mafodotin-Induced Adverse Ocular Events-Incidence, Etiology, and Management.

ABSTRACT: Emerging monoclonal antibody therapies are assuming greater importance in the management of severe and refractory forms of immunity-driven and oncological disorders. However, some have been found to induce adverse ocular events (AOEs) leading to discontinuation of treatment or additional multidisciplinary management. We present the current knowledge concerning AOEs associated with 3 monoclonal antibody therapies: dupilumab, tralokinumab, and belantamab mafodotin. We examine the manifestations of their AOEs, proposed pathophysiological mechanisms, and current treatment recommendations. We identified and reviewed all studies for dupilumab, tralokinumab, and belantamab mafodotin using the keywords "dupilumab," "tralokinumab," "belantamab mafodotin," "conjunctivitis," and "keratopathy" from January 2016 to November 2021. Conjunctivitis was the most frequently reported AOE in patients with atopic dermatitis receiving dupilumab or tralokinumab. Mild cases were managed with warm compresses for associated meibomian gland dysfunction, artificial tears, and antihistamine/mast cell stabilizer eye drops. In more severe cases, additional anti-inflammatory therapy, with corticosteroid eye drops or ointments, or topical calcineurin inhibitors-such as tacrolimus or ciclosporin-were required. Patients with resistant or refractory multiple myeloma treated with belantamab mafodotin often developed keratopathy, which could necessitate contact lens fitting, or for cycles of belantamab mafodotin to be delayed.

Dupilumab dose spacing after initial successful treatment or adverse events in adult patients with atopic dermatitis: A retrospective analysis.

Strategies on long-term management of patients affected by atopic dermatitis (AD) undergoing treatment with dupilumab achieving good clinical response (GCR) or experiencing dupilumab-related adverse events (AEs) are scant. Data of patients who implemented longer than scheduled dupilumab dosing interval due to GCR (at least 52 weeks of treatment and controlled AD activity [Eczema Area Severity Index ≤7 and Dermatology Life Quality Index ≤5 for at least 6 months]) or AEs (dupilumab-related and treatment-resistant conjunctivitis) were retrospectively collected. Dupilumab was tapered to Q3W or Q4W based on physician-patient shared decision. At baseline (T0) and each follow-up (week 16 [T1] and week 32 [T2]) disease severity was assessed. A total of 59 patients implemented longer than scheduled dosing interval (44 GCR, 15 AEs). Among these, 50 (35 GCR and 15 conjunctivitis) patients switched to 300 mg Q3W, while nine GCR subjects to Q4W. In the GCR group Q3W, 34 and 31 patients maintained clinical response at T1 and T2, whereas eight and seven Q4W subjects maintained clinical response at the same timepoints, respectively. No significant differences in AD severity were observed between T1 and T2 in both groups. Contrariwise, one Q3W and one Q4W patients at T1, and three Q3W and one Q4W subjects at T2, returned to dupilumab labeled dosage due to AD worsening. In conjunctivitis group, dupilumab Q3W was maintained in eight and four patients at T1 and T2, respectively. Three patients at T1 and three at T2 subjects returned to the labeled interval due to conjunctivitis remission. Four patients at T1 and four subjects at T2 interrupted dupilumab due to the persistence of conjunctivitis. A longer dupilumab dosing interval may be a valuable option in patients with a GCR and may be a useful strategy to reduce treatment-related conjunctivitis, also with pharmacoeconomic benefit.

Safety and tolerability of ozonated-oils in liposome eyedrop in preterm eye examination.

BACKGROUND: Eye examinations for ROP screening in preterm newborns are characterized by two main problems: infection control and poor tear secretion. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of ocular infection and to protect the ocular surface, netilmicin eye drops are usually used after the exams. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ozonated-oils eyedrops during the eye examination of preterm babies in the screening for ROP, sparing the use of antibiotics eyedrops. METHODS: All newborn infants that needed to be screened for ROP were divided into two groups: in group A we used topical netilmicin eye drops and in group B ozonated-oils eyedrops. We looked for any sign of conjunctival injection and chemosis, infectious conjunctivitis, blepharoconjunctivitis, erythema, and edema of the eyelids. RESULTS: A total of 162 adverse effects out of 3546 examinations (4,5%) were reported acutely: in group A (1778 examinations), they consisted of 47 reactive conjunctivitis, 3 cases of blepharoconjunctivitis, 30 of eyelids swelling, and 3 infectious conjunctivitis, compared to 39 cases of conjunctival injection, 3 blepharoconjunctivitis, 33 eyelids swelling and 4 infectious conjunctivitis in group B (1768 examinations). No significant differences were found in the comparison of the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ozonated-oils eyedrops should be considered a valid and safe alternative for the lubrification of the ocular surface and an adjuvant strategy to further minimize the risk of microbial contamination during screening for ROP.

Safety of tralokinumab in adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: pooled analysis of five randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II and phase III trials.

BACKGROUND: Tralokinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes the activity of interleukin-13, a key pathogenic driver of atopic dermatitis (AD). Clinical trials including adults with moderate-to-severe AD, of up to 52 weeks' duration, showed tralokinumab was efficacious and well tolerated. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the safety profile of tralokinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AD. METHODS: Safety and laboratory measures were assessed in pooled analyses of phase II and III placebo-controlled clinical trials of tralokinumab in moderate-to-severe AD (NCT02347176, NCT03562377, NCT03131648, NCT03160885, NCT03363854). RESULTS: In total, 2285 patients were randomized in the initial treatment periods up to 16 weeks (1605 tralokinumab, 680 placebo). The frequencies of any adverse event (AE) were 65·7% for tralokinumab and 67·2% for placebo. The respective rates were 640 and 678 events per 100 patient-years of exposure (ep100PYE); rate ratio 1·0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·9-1·1. Serious AEs occurred in 2·1% of patients with tralokinumab and 2·8% with placebo (7·4 and 11·9 ep100PYE; rate ratio 0·7, 95% CI 0·4-1·2). The most common AEs occurring at a higher frequency and rate with tralokinumab vs. placebo were: viral upper respiratory tract infection (15·7% vs. 12·2%; 65·1 vs. 53·5 ep100PYE); upper respiratory tract infection (5·6% vs. 4·8%; 20·8 vs. 18·5 ep100PYE); conjunctivitis (5·4% vs. 1·9%; 21·0 vs. 6·9 ep100PYE); and injection-site reaction (3·5% vs. 0·3%; 22·9 vs. 4·0 ep100PYE). Some events in safety areas of interest occurred at a lower frequency and rate with tralokinumab vs. placebo: skin infections requiring systemic treatment (2·6% vs. 5·5%; 9·7 vs. 22·8 ep100PYE), eczema herpeticum (0·3% vs. 1·5%; 1·2 vs. 5·2 ep100PYE), opportunistic infections (3·4% vs. 4·9%; 13·0 vs. 21·3 ep100PYE) and serious infections (0·4% vs. 1·1%; 1·3 vs. 3·7 ep100PYE). AEs did not increase with continued maintenance and open-label treatment, including rates of common or serious AEs and AEs leading to study drug discontinuation. No clinically meaningful changes in mean laboratory measures were observed with treatment up to 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Across the AD population pool from five clinical trials, tralokinumab was well tolerated, with consistent safety findings during treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe AD. The safety profile during prolonged tralokinumab treatment was consistent with that during the initial treatment period; the frequency of events did not increase over time. What is already known about this topic? Tralokinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that specifically neutralizes interleukin-13, a key cytokine driving skin inflammation and epidermal barrier dysfunction in atopic dermatitis (AD). In clinical trials in moderate-to-severe AD, tralokinumab provided significant and early improvements in the extent and severity of AD and was well tolerated, with an overall safety profile comparable with placebo over 52 weeks. What does this study add? We report the frequency and rate of adverse events (AEs) from pooled observations of over 2000 patients from five phase II and phase III placebo-controlled clinical trials of tralokinumab in moderate-to-severe AD. During initial treatment up to 16 weeks, the frequencies of any AE and of serious AEs were similar for tralokinumab and placebo. AE rates did not increase with continued treatment up to 52 weeks. Common AEs occurring more frequently with tralokinumab vs. placebo were viral and upper respiratory tract infection, conjunctivitis and injection-site reaction. Some events occurred at a lower frequency and rate with tralokinumab vs. placebo, such as skin infections requiring systemic treatment, eczema herpeticum and opportunistic and serious infections. No clinically meaningful changes in mean laboratory measures were observed.

Ragweed pollen concentration predicts seasonal rhino-conjunctivitis and asthma severity in patients allergic to ragweed.

In this work, we investigate the correlation between ragweed pollen concentration and conjunctival, nasal, and asthma symptom severity in patients allergic to ragweed pollen using ambient pollen exposure in the Milan area during the 2014 ragweed season We calculate the pollen/symptom thresholds and we assess the effectiveness of ragweed allergen immunotherapy (AIT). A total of 66 participants allergic to ragweed (Amb a 1) were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups: AIT treated (24) and no AIT treated (42). Pollen counts and daily symptom/medication patient diaries were kept. Autoregressive distributed lag models were used to develop predictive models of daily symptoms and evaluate the short-term effects of temporal variations in pollen concentration on the onset of symptoms. We found significant correlations between ragweed pollen load and the intensity of symptoms for all three symptom categories, both in no AIT treated (τ = 0.341, 0.352, and 0.721; and ρ = 0.48, 0.432, and 0.881; p-value < 0.001) and in AIT treated patients ([Formula: see text]= 0.46, 0.610, and 0.66; and ρ = 0.692, 0.805, and 0.824; p-value < 0.001). In both groups, we observed a positive correlation between the number of symptoms reported and drug use. Mean symptom levels were significantly higher in no AIT treated than in AIT treated patients (p-value < 0.001) for all symptom categories. Pollen concentration thresholds for the four symptom severity levels (low, medium-low, medium-high and high) were calculated. Ragweed pollen concentration is predictive of symptom severity in patients with a ragweed (Amb a 1) allergy. Patients treated with AIT had significantly reduced mean symptom levels compared to those without AIT.

The clinical significance of dupilumab-induced blood eosinophil elevation in Japanese patients with atopic dermatitis.

This study aims to clarify the clinical significance of dupilumab-induced elevation of blood eosinophil in Japanese patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Eosinophil elevation was defined as ≥ 5% increase of eosinophil percentage within one year after dupilumab initiation. Seven patients (15.7%) were shown to have eosinophil elevation, six of whom developed dupilumab-associated conjunctivitis (DAC) and were accompanied with DAC more frequently than those without eosinophil elevation, with statistically significant difference. Eosinophil percentage resolved spontaneously in all seven patients, including the one without DAC, despite the continuation of dupilumab treatment. None of the patients with eosinophil elevation had cardiac or pulmonary complications attributable to the hypereosinophilia. The patients with eosinophil elevation were all male. Furthermore, none of four patients in whom efficacy of dupilumab was < 25% showed eosinophil elevation. Childhood onset tended to be more common in patients with the elevation of eosinophil. This study suggests that most eosinophil elevation is associated with DAC, and that the eosinophil ratio is a biomarker for DAC.

Effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children (6-11 years): data from a French multicentre retrospective cohort in daily practice.

BACKGROUND: Dupilumab is the first biotherapy available for the treatment of moderate-to-severe childhood atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in daily practice. METHODS: Patients aged 6-11, who had received a first dose of dupilumab, were included in this multicentre retrospective cohort study. The primary endpoint was change in SCORAD after 3 months of treatment. Secondary endpoints were change in IGA score at 3 months, proportion of patients with SCORAD50 and SCORAD75, description of adverse events and proportion of children in our cohort who would be excluded from pivotal phase 3 clinical trial. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included. After 3 months of treatment, there was a significant decrease in SCORAD (mean: 21.8 ± 13.8 vs 53.9 ± 18.5; P < 0.0001) and IGA (1.3 ± 0.8 vs 3.5 ± 0.7; P < 0.0001). Conjunctivitis was observed in 11.3% (n = 9/80); three patients experienced dupilumab facial redness (DFR); 17.5% (n = 14/80) reported injection site reactions; 6.3% (n = 5/80) discontinued treatment. 61.2% (n = 49/80) children were ineligible in the phase 3 trial. LIMITATIONS: There is no control group. Because it was a real life study based on information from patient medical records in a French multicentre cohort, we cannot rule out the presence of reporting bias generated by the use of patient reported characteristics and missing information. CONCLUSION: These real-life data confirm the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in children with moderate to severe AD extended to dyshidrosis and atopic prurigo, but it also revealed a lower frequency of DFR and conjunctivitis. However, administration in injectable form may be a barrier in this age group.

Conjunctivitis associated with capecitabine treatment in a patient with colon cancer: The importance on educating patients into identifying adverse reactions.

INTRODUCTION: Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, a thin translucent mucous membrane, characterized by a dilatation of the conjunctival vessels. Causes leading to conjunctivitis are diverse, being drug related one of them. CASE REPORT: We report a case of an 80-year-old man with a diagnosis of relapsed stage IV colon cancer who developed a severe conjunctivitis, scar ectropion with lack of tissue and eversion of the subconjunctival conjunctiva after being treated with capecitabine. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: Capecitabine was discontinued and pharmacological treatment was initiated with a complete resolution of the symptoms. DISCUSSION: Ocular toxicity derived from the use of systemic fluorouracil has been widely described in the literature, as well as the relationship between the use of capecitabine and the appearance of conjunctivitis. However, the development of severe conjunctivitis with other complications has not been previously reported. Monitor patients closely and perform full medication assessment should be undertaken when a patient reports visual changes to manage toxicity in the early stages. Following the patient evaluation and evolution and based on the Karch Lasanga algorithm modified by Naranjo, the adverse reaction is considered as probable.