Systemic Miltefosine as an Adjunct Treatment of Progressive Acanthamoeba Keratitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To report our experience with oral miltefosine (MLT) as an adjunct treatment for progressive Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK).

Methods: Retrospective case series of all patients who underwent treatment with oral MLT for AK at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute from 2017 to 2020.

Results: Six females from 16 to 55 years old, with a microbiologic diagnosis of Acanthamoeba, were treated with MLT and standard medical treatment. Four of the six cases deteriorated after initiating treatment and three required a therapeutic keratoplasty. Two patients improved after 1 week of MLT and optical penetrating keratoplasty was performed after clinical resolution. Microbiologic culture of corneal buttons was negative in all cases. All corneal grafts remain clear at last follow-up with best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better.

Conclusion: Oral MLT may be a viable adjunctive therapy for recalcitrant AK; however, its use may be associated with a severe inflammatory reaction. Further studies are needed to evaluate its efficacy and variable clinical response.

KEYWORDS:

• Cornea
• Acanthamoeba
• infectious keratitis
• miltefosine
• impavido

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Edward D. and Janet K. Robson Foundation (Tulsa, OK), the Florida Lions Eye Bank and the Beauty of Sight Foundation (Miami, FL), Drs. K. R. Olsen and M. E. Hildebrandt, Drs. Raksha Urs and Aaron Furtado, NIH Center Grant P30EY14801, and a grant from Research to Prevent Blindness to the Department of Ophthalmology and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) and Retina Research Foundation (J. D. Martinez).