Effectiveness of Corneal Accelerated Crosslinking for Infectious Keratitis

Effectiveness of Corneal Accelerated Crosslinking Versus Conventional Treatment for Infectious Keratitis

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of accelerated cross-linking (Avedro Inc., Waltham, USA) in the management of microbial keratitis as adjunctive therapy.

Investigators perform a comprehensive ophthalmological examination, including evaluation of risk factors (immunosuppressive status, ocular trauma, previous ocular surgery, contact lens wear, topical corticosteroids use), best-corrected visual acuity (Snellen chart), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, tonometry and fundoscopy. In addition, anterior segment optical coherence tomography imaging (Visante, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, California, USA), corneal scrapes, culture and clinical photographs at day 1, day 7, month 1 and 3 will be analyzed.

Each participant will be assigned to one of four groups after randomization. Group 1: Initial ulcer on treatment with antibiotic plus sham (n = 66), these partcipants will receive only topical moxifloxacin 0,5% (Vigamoxi, Alcon, Texas, USA) and sham CXL; Group 2: Initial ulcer on treatment with antibiotic plus cross-linking (CXL) (n = 66) receive moxifloxacin plus CXL (riboflavin 0.1% during 10 minutes and irradiation 30 mW/cm2 during 3 minutes using accelerated CXL); Group 3: Refractory corneal ulcer on treatment with antibiotic plus sham (n=66), receive only topical antibiotic plus sham CXL; Group 4: Refractory corneal ulcer on treatment with antibiotic plus CXL will receive their standard medications plus CXL.

Statistical analysis will be divided into four phases: 1) Analysis of compliance, 2) Intention to treat, 3) Losses to follow-up and 4) Variable-response (healing) using Stata/MP 12.0 (Stata Corp., College Station, TX).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects with infectious keratitis (initial or refractory to treatment) including bacterial or mycotic keratitis with size larger than 3 mm

Exclusion Criteria:

• herpetic keratitis
• Acanthamoeba keratitis
• pregnancy
• endophthalmitis
• systemic immunosuppression