Treatment with Epinastine Hydrochloride to 0.05 % in Patients with Moderate Tear Dysfunction Syndrome

Abstract

Antihistamines such as epinastine hydrochloride have anti-inflammatory activity and could be used as a treatment for dry eye syndrome. Objective: To assess changes in symptoms, tear film and ocular surface before and after treatment with epinastine hydrochloride in patients with dry eye syndrome. Materials and methods: A double-blind pilot study was carried out in 20 patients with clinical diagnosis of moderate dry eye. One eye of each patient was treated with 0.05% ofepinastine hydrochloride and the other received 0.4% of sodium hyaluronate. Both eyes received tear supplement with 0.4% of sodium hyaluronate. The treatment dose was one drop three times a day for 45 days. Before treatment and 30 and 45 days after, the validated questionnaire for dry eye (osdi), the Schirmer 1 Test, but and lissamine green were used. The Student’s t test and Wilcoxon ranges were used. Results: A statistically significant improvement in symptoms after 30 days of the intervention with epinastine was found (p = 0.000) and after 45 days (p = 0.0000). In the ocular surface there was clinically and statistically significant improvement after 45 days (p = 0.0001). No significant changes were found in quality or quantity of the tear film. The reduction in symptoms and in the degree of staining with epinastine after 45 days was statistically significant (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. Conclusion: The combination of epinastinehydrochloride 0.05% and sodium hyaluronate 0.4% improves symptoms and the ocular surface in patients with moderate dry eye.