Postoperative trachomatous trichiasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis study.

BACKGROUND: Trachomatous trichiasis is the potential stage of trachoma in which the eyelashes scratch the surface of the globe, ultimately causing corneal opacity, visual impairment and blindness. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to obtain the pooled prevalence and associated factors of postoperative trachomatous trichiasis (PTT) in World Health Organization (WHO) trachoma-endemic regions. METHODS: An inclusive literature search was undertaken using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases from 30 May 2022 to 28 June 2022. I2 statistics and funnel plots were used to determine heterogeneity and publication bias among included studies. A random effects model was used to estimate pooled prevalence, incidence and odds ratios (ORs) with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: Eighteen articles were included in this meta-analysis and systematic review. The pooled prevalence of PTT was 19% (range 18-21). PTT was lower among young adults compared with old adults (OR 0.63 [95% CI 0.44 to 0.92]), single-dose oral azithromycin as compared with tetracycline eye ointment users (OR 0.82 [95% CI 0.69 to 0.99]) and minor trichiasis before surgery as compared with major trichiasis (OR 0.63 [95% CI 0.47 to 0.85]). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PTT was higher than the WHO's recommendation. Prescribing single-dose oral azithromycin after surgery, periodic training for trichiasis surgeons, close follow-up and health education after surgery are crucial to minimize the recurrence.Study protocol registration on PROSPERO: CRD42022336003.

Surgical Management of Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid in a Pediatric Patient.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the report was to describe the first successful tarsal fracture surgery in a 1-year-old boy diagnosed with cicatricial ocular pemphigoid whose visual and psychomotor development were notably limited. METHODS: We present the case of a 1-year-old boy diagnosed with mucous membrane pemphigoid by biopsy who was treated with rituximab (375 mg/m 2 intravenous infusion at 2-week interval administered twice) and stable with oral dapsone (2 mg·kg -1 ·d -1 ). His eyelid cicatricial entropion and trichiasis in both eyes prevented him from opening his eyes, impeding visual development. After 1 year of clinical stability, we performed a tarsal fracture procedure in both eyes to restore eyelid anatomy and functionality, with the aim to prevent an inflammatory reaction, administrating intravenous dexamethasone before and after surgery. RESULTS: The intervention was successfully performed without postoperative complications. Excellent anatomic and functional results allowed him to develop normally in his daily life the first week after surgery. He is currently taking oral dapsone (2 mg·kg -1 ·d -1 ) as a maintenance treatment to stop the progression of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Tarsal fracture surgery may be considered part of the treatment in pediatric patients with stable ocular cicatricial pemphigoid presenting with severe entropion and trichiasis.

Pre-operative trichiatic eyelash pattern predicts post-operative trachomatous trichiasis.

IMPORTANCE: Trichiasis surgery programs globally have faced high rates of poor surgical outcomes. Identifying correctable risk factors for improving long-term outcomes is essential for countries targeting elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the location of trichiatic eyelashes prior to surgery influences development of post-operative trichiasis (PTT) within two years after surgery. DESIGN: Secondary data analysis of four randomized clinical trials evaluating methods to improve trichiasis surgery outcomes. These include the Surgery for Trichiasis, Antibiotics for Recurrence (STAR) trial, Partnership for Rapid Elimination of Trachoma (PRET-Surgery), absorbable versus silk sutures trial, and epilation versus surgery for minor trichiasis trial. SETTING: Primary trials were conducted in rural areas of Ethiopia and Tanzania. INTERVENTIONS OR EXPOSURES: Trichiasis surgery performed with either the bilamellar tarsal rotation procedure or posterior lamellar rotation procedure. MAIN OUTCOMES: Prevalence of PTT within two years after surgery, location of trichiatic eyelashes pre-operatively and post-operatively. RESULTS: 6,747 eyelids that underwent first-time trichiasis surgery were included. PTT rates varied by study, ranging from 10-40%. PTT was less severe (based on number of trichiatic eyelashes) than initial trichiasis for 72% of those developing PTT, and only 2% of eyelids were worse at follow up than pre-operatively. Eyelids with central only-trichiasis pre-operatively had lower rates of PTT than eyelids with peripheral only trichiasis in each of the three trials that included severe TT cases. 10% of eyelids with peripheral trichiasis pre-operatively that develop PTT have central TT post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Pre-operative central trichiasis is less likely than peripheral trichiasis to be associated with subsequent PTT. Regardless of type of surgery, surgeon skill levels, or pre-operative trichiasis severity, the presence of peripheral trichiasis pre-operatively is associated with higher rates of PTT. Making an incision that extends the length of the eyelid and adequately rotating the nasal and temporal aspects of the eyelid when suturing may help to minimize the chance of developing peripheral PTT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov PRET: NCT00886015; Suture: NCT005228560; Epilation: NCT00522912.

Fluorometholone 0.1% as Ancillary Therapy for Trachomatous Trichiasis Surgery: Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the hypothesis that fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops are safe and effective as adjunctive therapy for trachomatous trichiasis (TT) surgery; determining the most promising dose. DESIGN: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked parallel dose-ranging clinical trial. METHODS: Patients undergoing upper lid TT surgery at a rural Ethiopian hospital were randomized to fluorometholone 0.1% twice daily for 4 weeks, 4 times daily for 4 weeks, 4 times daily for 8 weeks, or matching frequency placebo in a 3:1:3:1:3:1 ratio for 1 eye. Randomization was stratified by TT severity (1-4 vs ≥5 lashes touching the globe). Safety outcomes (intraocular pressure [IOP] elevation, cataract, and other dose-limiting toxicities) and postoperative TT incidence were assessed over 1 year. RESULTS: Subjects randomized were 39:13:39:13:38:13 in the respective groups, and 1 subject in the 8-weeks fluorometholone group was withdrawn. Of 154 subjects, 148 (96.1%) completed 1 year's follow-up. Among 76 eyes receiving fluorometholone 4 times daily, 1 developed IOP elevation ≥ 30 mm Hg (to 37 mm Hg) and 1 had an allergic reaction attributed to the study drug; each resolved upon drug cessation without sequelae. No cataract or other dose-limiting toxicity events occurred. Postoperative TT within 1 year occurred in 29.3% of placebo eyes vs 17.7%, 19.6%, and 23.2% among the respective fluorometholone groups (P = .29 comparing placebo vs all active treatments combined). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest fluorometholone 0.1% is likely to be safe and efficacious to reduce postoperative TT following TT surgery, and 1 drop twice daily for 4 weeks is the most promising dose. Confirmation in a full-scale clinical trial is needed before programmatic implementation.

An impact evaluation of two rounds of mass drug administration on the prevalence of active trachoma: A clustered cross sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the impact of two round of mass drug administration on trachoma prevalence in Plateau and Nasarawa States of Nigeria. The mass drug administration was conducted as a component of the SAFE Strategy, a combination of interventions recommended for the global elimination of blinding trachoma. METHODS: The study consisted of a two-stage cross-sectional clustered sample survey in which 3990 people from 793 households were screened for clinical signs of trachoma. RESULTS: Of the total 3990 people examined, 1530 were children, of which 808 (53%) were boys and 704 (47%) were girls. The impact of intervention as measured by the changes in overall prevalence of follicular trachoma were as follows: At baseline the overall prevalence of follicular trachoma among children 1-9 years of age was 6.4%, 95% CI [5.8, 7.0]; the overall prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis in the total population was 0.20%, 95% CI [0.16, 0.25]. At follow up, the overall prevalence of follicular trachoma among children 1-9 years of age was 3.4%, 95% CI [1.9, 4.9]; the overall prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis in the total population was 0.20%, 95% CI [0.00, 0.05]. The highest statistically significant reduction (96%) in follicular trachoma prevalence was observed in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State from baseline prevalence of 13.6%, 95% CI [9.7, 17.5] to follow-up prevalence of 0.5%, 95% CI [0.0, 1.5] and the lowest reduction (58%) in follicular trachoma prevalence was observed in Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State from baseline prevalence of 15.8%, 95% CI [9.3, 22.3] to 6.6%, 95% CI [1.6, 11.6], (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in the overall prevalence of follicular trachoma was achieved after two rounds of mass drug administration. In the absence of significant activities pertaining to facial cleanliness and environmental sanitation components of the SAFE strategy in the intervention areas, the observed deep reductions in prevalence could mainly be attributed to mass drug administration. Therefore, two rounds of mass azithromycin administration may be as effective as guideline-recommended three or more rounds in reducing active trachoma prevalence but findings should be replicated in more robustly designed studies.

Prevalence of Trachoma in Car-Nicobar Island, India after Three Annual Rounds of Mass Drug Administration with Azithromycin.

BACKGROUND: A high proportion of active trachoma infection in children of Car-Nicobar Island was reported through the Trachoma Rapid Assessment survey conducted in year 2010 by the same researchers. Annual mass drug treatment with azithromycin was administered from years 2010-12 to all individuals residing in this island for reducing the burden of active trachoma infection. A cross-sectional prevalence survey was conducted in the year 2013 to assess the post-treatment burden of trachoma in this population. METHODS: In the 15 randomly selected compact segments from each village of the island, children aged 1-9 years were examined for evidence of active trachoma infection and participants aged ten years and above were examined for trachomatous trichiasis and corneal opacity. RESULTS: A total of 809 children (1-9 years) and 2735 adults were examined. Coverage with azithromycin for all the three rounds was more than 80%. The prevalence of active trachoma infection in children aged 1-9 years old was 6.8% (95% CI 5.1, 8.5) and Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT) was 3.9% (95% CI 3.2, 4.6). The risk factors associated with active trachoma infection were older age and unclean faces. The risk factors associated with TT were older age and lower literacy level. CONCLUSION: Trachoma has not been eliminated from Car-Nicobar Island in accordance to 'Global Elimination of Trachoma, 2020' guidelines. Sustained efforts and continuous surveillance admixed with adequate programmatic response is imperative for elimination of trachoma in the island.

Assessment of a Novel Approach to Identify Trichiasis Cases Using Community Treatment Assistants in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Simple surgical intervention advocated by the World Health Organization can alleviate trachomatous trichiasis (TT) and prevent subsequent blindness. A large backlog of TT cases remain unidentified and untreated. To increase identification and referral of TT cases, a novel approach using standard screening questions, a card, and simple training for Community Treatment Assistants (CTAs) to use during Mass Drug Administration (MDA) was developed and evaluated in Kongwa District, a trachoma-endemic area of central Tanzania. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A community randomized trial was conducted in 36 communities during MDA. CTAs in intervention villages received an additional half-day of training and a TT screening card in addition to the training received by CTAs in villages assigned to usual care. All MDA participants 15 years and older were screened for TT, and senior TT graders confirmed case status by evaluating all screened-positive cases. A random sample of those screened negative for TT and those who did not present at MDA were also evaluated by the master graders. Intervention CTAs identified 5.6 times as many cases (n = 50) as those assigned to usual care (n = 9, p < 0.05). While specificity was above 90% for both groups, the sensitivity for the novel screening tool was 31.2% compared to 5.6% for the usual care group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CTAs appear to be viable resources for the identification of TT cases. Additional training and use of a TT screening card significantly increased the ability of CTAs to recognize and refer TT cases during MDA; however, further efforts are needed to improve case detection and reduce the number of false positive cases.

Doxycycline prevents matrix remodeling and contraction by trichiasis-derived conjunctival fibroblasts.

PURPOSE: Trachoma is a conjunctival scarring disease, which is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Elimination of blinding trachoma is being held back by the high rate of trichiasis recurrence following surgery. There is currently no treatment available to suppress the profibrotic state and reduce recurrence. Although the mechanisms underlying trichiasis development are unknown, the profibrotic phenotype has been linked to matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. Doxycycline, a well-known tetracycline antibiotic, can act as a broad MMP inhibitor and has showed some success in preventing fibrosis in various clinical contexts. The purpose of this work was to assess the antiscarring properties of doxycycline in an in vitro model of trichiasis fibroblast-mediated tissue contraction. METHODS: Primary cultures of fibroblasts were established from conjunctival samples obtained from normal donors or during surgery for trachomatous trichiasis. The effect of doxycycline on matrix contraction was investigated in our standard collagen gel contraction model. Cell morphology and matrix integrity were assessed using confocal reflection microscopy. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and a FRET-based assay were used to measure MMP expression and activity, respectively. RESULTS: Doxycycline treatment successfully suppressed the contractile phenotype of trichiasis fibroblasts, matrix degradation, and significantly altered the expression of MMP1, MMP9, and MMP12 associated with the profibrotic phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the results presented here and the wider use of doxycycline in clinical settings, we propose that doxycycline might be useful as a treatment to prevent recurrence following trichiasis surgery.

Three-year outcomes of the surgery for trichiasis, antibiotics to prevent recurrence trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether treatment with oral azithromycin compared with topical tetracycline reduces the recurrence of trichiasis for up to 3 years following surgery for trichiasis. METHODS: The Surgery for Trichiasis, Antibiotics to Prevent Recurrence (STAR) trial is a randomized, single-masked, clinical trial conducted in southern Ethiopia, a region where trachoma is hyperendemic. A total of 1452 patients who underwent trichiasis surgery were randomly assigned at a 2:1 ratio to either a single dose of oral azithromycin (1 g) or topical tetracycline (twice per day for 6 weeks) following surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recurrence of trichiasis within 3 years following surgery. RESULTS: The rate of recurrence was 10% in the azithromycin group and 13% in the tetracycline group. The azithromycin group had a 22% reduction in recurrence of trichiasis 3 years after surgery compared with the tetracycline group (P = .13). Severity of entropion at baseline was the most significant predictor of recurrence of trichiasis at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Trichiasis recurrence rates in the STAR trial remained low for up to 3 years following surgery. The protective effect of a single dose of azithromycin was less than at 1 year and, although not statistically significant, was still suggestive up to 3 years following trichiasis surgery. APPLICATION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: A single dose of azithromycin after surgery remains an integral component of the World Health Organization's strategy for the elimination of trachoma by the year 2020.

Impact of Trichiasis surgery on physical functioning in Ethiopian patients: STAR trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the physical functioning of Ethiopian trichiasis surgery patients before and 6 months after surgery. DESIGN: Nested cohort study. METHODS: This study was nested within the Surgery for Trichiasis, Antibiotics to Prevent Recurrence (STAR) clinical trial conducted in Ethiopia. Demographic information, ocular examinations, and physical functioning assessments were collected before and 6 months after surgery. A single score for patients' physical functioning was constructed using Rasch analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was used to determine if change in physical functioning was associated with change in visual acuity. RESULTS: Of the 438 participants, 411 (93.8%) had both baseline and follow-up questionnaires. Physical functioning scores at baseline ranged from -6.32 (great difficulty) to +6.01 (no difficulty). The percentage of participants reporting no difficulty in physical functioning increased by 32.6%; the proportion of participants in the mild/no visual impairment category increased by 8.6%. A multivariate linear regression model showed that for every line of vision gained, physical functioning improves significantly (0.09 units; 95% CI: 0.02-0.16). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery to correct trichiasis appears to improve patients' physical functioning as measured at 6 months. More effort in promoting trichiasis surgery is essential, not only to prevent corneal blindness, but also to enable improved functioning in daily life.

Rates and risk factors for unfavorable outcomes 6 weeks after trichiasis surgery.

PURPOSE: Several studies of trichiasis recurrence suggest an association between surgical factors and long-term recurrence, yet data on short-term risk factors are limited. This study was conducted to evaluate risk factors for early trichiasis recurrence and other unfavorable short-term outcomes. METHODS: Trichiasis patients presenting for surgery were evaluated for presence of active trachoma and signs of cicatricial outcomes of trachoma, including number of trichiatic lashes, epilation, and entropion. Surgical factors recorded included incision length, surgery duration, and the surgeon performing the operation. Participants were followed up for 6 weeks after surgery and evaluated for eyelid closure defect and trichiasis recurrence; in addition, in two thirds of the patients, eyelid contour abnormality and granuloma formation were evaluated. RESULTS: First-time trichiasis surgery was performed on 2615 eyelids. Of these, 2601 eyelids without surgical failure were followed up 6 weeks after surgery. Of the eyelids treated, 2.3% had recurrent trichiasis and 1.3% had an eyelid closure defect. Data on eyelid contour abnormalities and granuloma formation were recorded for 1881 eyes, with rates of 1.2% and 10.5%, respectively. Associated risk factors differed by outcome. Surgeon was predictive of eyelid closure defect and granuloma formation. Eyelids with short incisions were nearly four times more likely to have recurrent trichiasis (95% confidence interval, 1.7-9.3). Baseline trichiasis severity was predictive of eyelid contour abnormalities and recurrent trichiasis. Epilation was associated with granuloma formation, but was protective against eyelid closure defect. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical factors are important predictors of unfavorable outcomes in the weeks immediately after surgery. Although the overall rate of serious uncorrectable unfavorable outcomes was very low, the high rate of granuloma formation, which can be treated by removal, highlights the need for follow-up of patients after trichiasis surgery. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00347776.).