Low dose mitomycin-C in severe vernal keratoconjunctivitis: a randomized prospective double blind study.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To study the efficacy and safety of low dose topical Mitomycin C (MMC) in severe Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). DESIGN: Placebo controlled double masked randomized clinical trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with severe VKC were randomly assigned to receive either topical MMC (0.01%) (n=17) or distilled water (n=11) three times daily for a period of two weeks. Signs and symptoms were recorded on day of presentation and at the end of treatment period (2 weeks). Mann Whitney test was used to analyze the signs and symptoms in the two groups. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of severity of symptoms at presentation. At two weeks patients in the MMC group showed significant decrease in tearing, foreign body sensation, discharge, hyperemia, punctate keratitis, limbal edema and trantas spots. No adverse effect of MMC was observed. CONCLUSION: Short term low dose topical MMC is an effective and safe drug to control acute exacerbations in patients of severe VKC refractory to conventional treatment.