Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34453603›Full record

ArticleGraefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie2022

A comparative study between ciclosporine A eye drop (2%) and tacrolimus eye ointment (0.03%) in management of children with refractory vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Mohamed Amin Heikal, Tarek T Soliman, Walid Samir Abousaif, Ahmed Adel Shebl

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06903884 (A Randomized Controlled Trial of 3% Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution for Active Moderate-to-Severe Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis), which is not on this map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06903884 phase3recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

A Randomized Controlled Trial of 3% Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution for Active Moderate-to-Severe Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of Hong KongRan2026 to 2028Enrolled94ConditionsVernal KeratoconjunctivitisArms3% Diquafosol ophthalmic solution and 0.1% Cyclosporin A cationic ophthalmic emulsion, 0.1% Cyclosporin A cationic ophthalmic emulsion
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: A Systematic Review.Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology · 2023
    Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Mohamed Amin HeikalOphthalmology Department, Benha University, Benha, Egypt. mohammedheikel@gmail.com.
Tarek T SolimanOphthalmology Department, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
Walid Samir AbousaifOphthalmology Department, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
Ahmed Adel SheblOphthalmology Department, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo compare the effects of ciclosporine A (2%) eye drop and tacrolimus (0.03%) eye ointment on children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) who were not responding to corticosteroid eye drops.

methodsA prospective comparative study was carried out on children who were diagnosed with refractory VKC at the ophthalmology clinic in Benha University, Delta area, Egypt, during the period from October 2019 to February 2020.

resultsFifty-nine patients completed this study. Regarding the individual symptom score, redness, burning, photophobia, and foreign body sensation were significantly reduced in the tacrolimus group compared to those in the ciclosporine A group during the 1st week (p < 0.05). Moreover, the tacrolimus group showed a statistically significant reduction in burning and foreign body sensation at the 4th week (both p = 0.032), and in redness and burning sensation at the 12th week compared to those in the ciclosporine A group (p = 0.005 and 0.048, respectively). The tacrolimus group showed significantly lower mean scores for tarsal conjunctival papillary hypertrophy at the 1st week and 12th week (p = 0.037 and 0.046, respectively), and for punctate erosion and cobblestone papillae at the 1st week (p = 0.029 and 0.037, respectively) than the ciclosporine group. Failure of treatment was observed in 6 patients (19.35%) in the ciclosporine A group and in 5 patients (17.85%) in the tacrolimus group. No serious side effects were detected in any group.

conclusionA higher reduction in inflammatory symptoms and signs as well as compliance with tacrolimus 0.03% eye ointment than with ciclosporine A 2% eye drops was observed. Moreover, long-term medication for refractory cases is needed to control inflammation. Overall, our finding suggested that ciclosporine A eye drops and tacrolimus eye ointment could be considered as corticosteroid-sparing drugs in the management of children with refractory VKC.

Indexed as

Conjunctivitis, AllergicTacrolimusChildHumansImmunosuppressive AgentsOintmentsOphthalmic SolutionsProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeImmunosuppressive AgentsOintmentsOphthalmic SolutionsTacrolimusChildrenCiclosporineTacrolimusVKC

Identifiers

PMID34453603

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.