The Effects of Recombinant Human alpha-Interferon on Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis

ABSTRACT

We investigated the clinical effects and drug toxicities of high concentrated recombinant human alpha-interferon eyedrops in acute epidemic keratoconjunctivitis(ARK). We examined the side effects of alpha-interferon eyedrops after instillation to the 34 general healthy patients, and compared the clinical effects after randomized blind administration of the different concentration eyedrops or placebo in 117 AEK. No significant ocular complications in the 34 general healthy patients was observed. In AEK, improvement of symptoms and signs were observed at the mean 3.2 days of 10.000 IU/ml group, 3.1 days of 100,000 IU/ml group, and 3.2 days of 500,000 IU/ml group after instillation of alpha-interferon. comparing 4.4 days of placebo(P<0.01). We have also observed early absorption of conjunctival pseudomembrane, and the decreased incidence of keratitis. We suggest that the topical application of alpha-interferon might be clinically useful to help early recovery and decrease the incidence of ocular complications of AEK.