[Treatment of superficial herpes simplex keratitis with vidarabine (Vira A): multicenter study of 100 cases].

Abstract

The efficacy of 3% Ara-A ophthalmic ointment (Vira A) has been evaluated on 100 epithelial herpetic keratitis; the poor intra-ocular penetration of Ara-A explains the exclusion of stromal keratitis and kerato-unveitis. Patients were treated 5 times a day until complete epithelial healing of ulcers, then twice a day during 7 days. Healing was obtained within 10.6 days for 87% of the patients, who have been treated by Ara-A at first (n = 77) or after failure of IDU or of IDC (n = 23). The healing rate was higher for the 52 first ocular episodes (92%) than for the 48 recurrences (81%); it decreases to 77% for recurrences after failure of IDU or IDC. Geographic ulcers heal in 76% of cases only. Their length has no influence on their healing. The longest healing time, 10.6 days, can be explained by the long period of time before beginning to apply Ara-A, 12.8 days: significative correlation between both periods of time is highlighted and shows the advantage of an early treatment. The need for a local corticotherapy (n = 8) does not hinder healing in 15.5 days. Two weeks after discontinuation of the treatment, 3 patients presented a relapse, sensitive to a 2nd Ara-A course; a maintenance treatment, superior to 7 days, is necessary. Tolerance to Vira A ointment is good. Indications of Ara-A during ocular herpes are superficial keratitis, especially those resistant to IDU or, from experimental data, to ACV, and their prevention by a possible long term treatment.

• Authors: J Denis, P Chouraqui, I Karpouzas, T Hoang-Xuan, Y Pouliquen
• Journal: Journal francais d'ophtalmologie (J Fr Ophtalmol) Vol. 13 Issue 3 Pg. 143-50 ( 1990) ISSN: 0181-5512 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Traitement des kératites herpétiques superficielles par la vidarabine (Vira A): étude multicentrique de 100 cas.
• PMID: 2229899 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Ointments
• Deoxycytidine
• Bromodeoxycytidine
• ibacitabine
• Vidarabine
• Idoxuridine

Topics

• Adult
• Antiviral Agents
• Bromodeoxycytidine (analogs & derivatives)
• Corneal Ulcer (drug therapy, etiology)
• Deoxycytidine (analogs & derivatives)
• Drug Resistance
• Female
• Humans
• Idoxuridine
• Keratitis, Dendritic (complications, drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Ointments
• Recurrence
• Vidarabine (therapeutic use)