Real-world assessment of diquafosol in dry eye patients with risk factors such as contact lens, meibomian gland dysfunction, and conjunctivochalasis: subgroup analysis from a prospective observational study

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of diquafosol (DQS) ophthalmic solution in dry eye (DE) patients wearing contact lenses (CLs) or with concomitant meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) or conjunctivochalasis in a real-world setting.

Patients and methods

From a cohort of patients enrolled in a prospective observational study, DE patients who met the Japanese diagnostic criteria and who received DQS as a monotherapy were extracted and stratified according to the presence or absence of CL use, MGD, and conjunctivochalasis. Corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining score, tear film break-up time, total symptom score (12 DE-related subjective symptoms), patient-reported outcomes, and adverse reactions were investigated.

Results

DQS treatment resulted in significant improvement in total symptom score, corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining score, and tear film break-up time without significant differences between patient subgroups with versus without CL use, MGD, or conjunctivochalasis. Comparable proportions of patients perceived symptomatic improvements in all subgroups. There were no adverse reactions specifically associated with the CL use or any comorbidity of MGD or conjunctivochalasis.

Conclusion

DQS can be used effectively and safely as a monotherapy for the treatment of DE patients wearing CLs or with concomitant MGD or conjunctivochalasis.

Keywords:

• clinical practice
• dry eye syndrome
• patient-reported outcome
• Diquas^®

Acknowledgments

This analysis and article processing charges for this manuscript were funded by Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.

Disclosure

TN is an employee of Santen. JS has received consulting fees from Otsuka and honoraria for lectures from Abbot, Alcon, Novartis, Otsuka, and Santen. ET has received honoraria for lectures from Alcon, Astellas, GlaxoSmithKline, Kissei, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Maruho, MSD, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Otsuka, Pfizer, Senju, and Wakamoto. NY has received consulting fees from Kissei and Rohto. YO has received consulting fees from HOYA, Johnson and Johnson, Otsuka, Santen, and Senju. MY and HW report no conflicts of interest in this work.