EFFECT OF LODOXAMIDE ON TEAR LEUKOTRIENE LEVELS IN GIANT PAPILLARY CONJUNCTIVITIS ASSOCIATED WITH OCULAR PROSTHESIS

Leukotrienes have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of ocu lar inflammatory and allergic reactions like vernal keratoconjunctivit is and contact lens-associated giant papillary conjunctivitis. This st udy was designed to determine leukotriene B-4 (LTB4) and leukotriene C -4 (LTC4) levels in the tears of patients with ocular prosthesis-assoc iated giant papillary conjunctivitis (OP-GPC) and to evaluate the effe cts of lodoxamide 0.1% on tear LTB4 and LTC4 levels of OP-GPC patients . Tear LTB4 and LTC4 levels were determined by an ELISA technique in t he tears of ten OP-GPC patients before and after treatment with lodoxa mide 0.1% for one month. The results were compared with that of ten he althy control subjects. The mean tear LTB4 and LTC4 levels of the OP-G PC patients were significantly higher than those of the control group. After treatment with lodoxamide 0.1%, tear LTB4 and LTC4 levels of th e OP-GPC patients decreased significantly. This is the first report of elevated LTB4 and LTC4 levels in tears of OP-GPC patients and it poin ts to the possible role of leukotrienes in the immunopathogenesis of O P-GPC. The results also indicate that lodoxamide 0.1%, a mast cell mem brane stabilizer, is effective in significantly reducing tear LTB4 and LTC4 levels in OP-GPC patients.