Efficacy of topical bevacizumab and sunitinib in the treatment of corneal neovascularization in Stevens-Johnson syndromes patients with ocular sequelae

• Grant number: 12/09816-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: José Alvaro Pereira Gomes
• Grantee: Tais Hitomi Wakamatsu
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare and severe condition, affecting skin and mucous membranes. The exact cause of the syndrome often can not be identified, but it is believed that this disease represents an exaggerated lymphocytic response, triggered by a drug or infection.SJS covers a wide spectrum of ocular manifestations that are associated with significant visual morbidity. Acute inflammation combined with a decrease in the tear production and corneal chronic microtrauma related to blink, can lead to limbal stem cell failure and keratopathies or infections. A study conducted by the Department of Ophthalmology - UNIFESP, the largest referral center for this disease in the country, reveals that among the ocular complications observed during the chronic syndrome, corneal neovascularization was the most common, followed by scarring, symblepharon, corneal conjunctivalization, entropion, trichiasis and ankyloblepharon. These complications lead to blindness in a large number of patients. Visual impairment and ocular discomfort continue throughout the life, reducing patients quality of life and requiring medical treatment indefinitely.In order to minimize one of the most common ocular complications of the disease and thereby decrease its morbidity, we propose, in this paper, the comparison of the efficacy of topical bevacizumab and sunitinib in reducing corneal neovascularization in patients with ocular sequelae caused by SJS. In recent years these new family of drugs, originally used in cancer treatment, emerged as the therapeutic promise of neovascularization by inhibiting the sites of action of VEGF-A, an important angiogenic factor of the cornea.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

WAKAMATSU, TAIS HITOMI; UETA, MAYUMI; INOUE, CHIKARA; COSTA, KARITA ANTUNES; SAKANO, LAIS YUMI; SALLUM, JULIANA MARIA F.; PEREIRA GOMES, JOSE ALVARO; KINOSHITA, SHIGERU. Human leukocyte antigen class I and II genes associated with dipyrone-related Stevens-Johnson syndrome and severe ocular complications in a Brazilian population. OCULAR SURFACE, v. 20, p. 3-pg., 2021-03-02. (12/09816-0)

WAKAMATSU, TAIS HITOMI; TAKIISHI, ALESSANDRA YOSHIE; HIRAI, FLAVIO; LIMA, ACACIO SOUZA; PEREIRA GOMES, JOSE ALVARO. The Efficacy of Topical Bevacizumab and Sunitinib on Corneal Neovascularization in patients with Stevens-Johnson. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, v. 59, n. 9, p. 2-pg., 2018-07-01. (12/09816-0)

WAKAMATSU, TAIS HITOMI; DOS SANTOS, MYRNA SERAPIAO; BARREIRO, TELMA PEREIRA; SANT'ANNA, ANA ESTELA BESTETI PIRES PONCE; MURTA, FABIOLA; DA COSTA, ALEXANDRE XAVIER; MARCULINO, LEONARDO GUEDES C.; DE ALCANTARA, RAFAEL JORGE ALVES; DE FARIAS, CHARLES COSTA; GOMES, JOSE ALVARO PEREIRA. Clinical Aspects of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis With Severe Ocular Complications in Brazil. FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE, v. 8, JUN 18 2021. (18/08344-4, 12/09816-0)