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Neuropathic Corneal Pain: Approaches for Management.

Ophthalmology
November 1, 2017
Gabriela Dieckmann et al. (3 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewResearch Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of a gluten-free diet as a complementary treatment for neuropathic corneal pain (NCP).

Results Summary

The study suggests that a gluten-free diet may offer additional benefits for NCP patients, but it does not provide specific efficacy data or statistical evidence supporting its use.

Population

Patients with neuropathic corneal pain (NCP).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (10)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
neuroregenerative agents
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
recommended first-line topical treatments
#1
anti-inflammatory agents
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
recommended first-line topical treatments
#2
tricyclic antidepressants
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
recommended first-line systemic pharmacotherapy
#3
an anticonvulsant
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
recommended first-line systemic pharmacotherapy
#4
an opioid-antagonist
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
recommended second-line oral treatments
#5
opiate analgesics
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
recommended second-line oral treatments
#6
cardiovascular exercise
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
may have additional benefits
#7
acupuncture
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
may have additional benefits
#8
omega-3 fatty acid supplementation
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
may have additional benefits
#9
gluten-free diet
decrease
neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)
patients with NCP
-
may have additional benefits
#10
Abstract

Neuropathic pain is caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction of the nervous system and can occur in the cornea. However, neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) is currently an ill-defined disease. Patients with NCP are extremely challenging to manage, and evidence-based clinical recommendations for the management of patients with NCP are scarce. The objectives of this review are to provide guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of patients with NCP and to summarize current evidence-based literature in this area. We performed a systematic literature search of all relevant publications between 1966 and 2017. Treatment recommendations are, in part, based on methodologically sound randomized controlled trials (RCTs), demonstrating superiority to placebo or relevant control treatments, and on the consistency of evidence, degree of efficacy, and safety. In addition, the recommendations include our own extensive experience in the management of these patients over the past decade. A comprehensive algorithm, based on clinical evaluation and complementary tests, is presented for diagnosis and subcategorization of patients with NCP. Recommended first-line topical treatments include neuroregenerative and anti-inflammatory agents, and first-line systemic pharmacotherapy includes tricyclic antidepressants and an anticonvulsant. Second-line oral treatments recommended include an opioid-antagonist and opiate analgesics. Complementary and alternative treatments, such as cardiovascular exercise, acupuncture, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, and gluten-free diet, may have additional benefits, as do potential noninvasive and invasive procedures in recalcitrant cases. Medication selection should be tailored on an individual basis, considering side effects, comorbidities, and levels of peripheral and centralized pain. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need for long-term studies and RCTs assessing the efficacy of treatments for NCP.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
CorneaCorneal DiseasesEye PainHumansNeuralgiaTrigeminal Nerve
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy50/10
Quality60/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations121
Citations/Year15.1
Relative Citation Ratio7.60
NIH Percentile96.5%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score1.91
Normalized Score0.52
Related Supplements
Neuropathic Corneal Pain: Approaches for Management. | Panacea Index