Clinical effectiveness of a new oral curcumin formulation in acute non-infectious uveitic macular edema: a 12-month observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Oral supplementation with curcumin demonstrated a beneficial effect on some ocular diseases, including uveitis and macular edema. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a curcumin formulation with the hydrophilic carrier (CHC; Diabec®, Alfa Intes, Italy) as an adjuvant to standard steroid treatment in adults suffering from acute non-infectious uveitic macular edema (NIUME). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a monocenter prospective observational study carried out between January 2019 and May 2020 on consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of NIUME. Patients were treated with standard therapy or with a CHC add-on to standard treatment. The observation period for each patient was 12 months. The Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and the Central Macular Thickness (CMT) were the primary outcomes; Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were also assessed, along with safety data. RESULTS: A total of 43 eyes of 26 patients were analyzed. CHC-treated eyes showed an improvement in mean BCVA from baseline (0.34 logMar) to T6 (0.20 logMar) and T12 (0.19 logMar; p≤0.05 and p≤0.01, respectively); CMT decreased from a mean of 320 µm (T0) to 278 µm (T6; p≤0.05) and 272 µm (T12; p≤0.01). A significant improvement of mean BCVA in the CHC group at T6 and T12 was reported compared to the control group (p≤0.01). FAZ and IOP showed no statistically significant variations in both groups. No adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: CHC as an adjuvant treatment improved the anatomical and functional outcomes, without significant side effects in eyes affected by the recent onset of NIUME, compared to the sole standard therapy.