Abstract: Case reports of Cacicol use in Sjogrens patients with superficial ulcerative keratitis

Interesting case report on some folks with severe corneal disease. They clearly had to stay on it to get any kind of continued benefits, but those benefits sound pretty dramatic:

• decreased pain, burning, irritation and FBS
• improved vision
• healing of diffuse keratitis (after several months treatment)

Medicine (Baltimore). 2018 Mar;97(10):e9935.
Evaluation of a new matrix regenerating agent in patients with Sjögren syndrome and superficial ulcerative keratitis resistant to conventional therapy: A report of 3 cases.
Fajnkuchen F1,2, Barritault D3, Giocanti-Aurégan A1,4. 

Abstract
RATIONALE:
Sjögren syndrome (SS) is frequently associated with ulcerative keratitis, which is difficult to treat due to lacrimal tear deficiency and inflammation of the ocular surface. 

PATIENT CONCERNS:
We report the successful additive effect of a matrix regenerating agent (RGTA, Cacicol) in SS patients with severe superficial ulcerative keratitis resistant to conventional therapy. 

DIAGNOSES:
Retrospective, noncomparative case series of patients with primary or secondary SS associated with chronic diffuse keratitis. 

INTERVENTIONS:
All patients (3 women, aged 46, 59, and 84 years) had several years of dry-eye disease history and recurrent keratitis despite having used maximal dose topical therapies including artificial tear substitutes, topical vitamin A, and cyclosporine 0.05% emulsion. All patients suffered from dry, diffuse, and chronic superficial keratitis of at least 75% of the corneal surface, with no sign of corneal neovascularization or opacity. 

OUTCOMES:
RGTA treatment led to a rapid and marked decrease of ocular pain, burning, irritation, foreign body sensation, and improvement of visual acuity. Total diffuse keratitis healing occurred after several months of treatment. Discontinuation of RGTA administration led to the recurrence of severe keratitis; re-introduction of RGTA was successful. No local or systemic adverse effects related to treatment were reported. 

LESSONS:
RGTA treatment was effective and safe in this small series of 3 patients suffering from SS associated with recurrent or chronic superficial ulcerative keratitis resistant to conventional therapy.