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Treatment with citicoline eye drops enhances retinal function and neural conduction along the visual pathways in open angle glaucoma

  • Glaucoma
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the retinal function and the neural conduction along the visual pathways after treatment with citicoline eye drops in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG).

Methods

Fifty-six OAG patients (mean age 52.4 ± 4.72 years, IOP <18 mmHg with beta-blocker monotherapy only) were enrolled. Of these, 47 eyes completed the study: 24 OAG eyes were treated with topical citicoline (OMK1®, Omikron Italia, 3 drops/day) (GC eyes) over a 4-month period (month 4) followed by a 2-month period of citicoline wash-out (month 6), and another 23 OAG eyes were only treated with beta-blocker monotherapy (GP eyes). In GC and GP eyes, pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP) were assessed at baseline and at months 4 and 6 in both groups.

Results

At baseline, similar (ANOVA, p > 0.01) PERG and VEP values in GC and GP eyes were observed. After treatment with topical citicoline, a significant (p < 0.01) increase of PERG P50-N95 and VEP N75-P100 amplitudes, and a significant (p < 0.01) shortening of VEP P100 implicit times were found. In GC eyes, the shortening of VEP P100 implicit times was correlated significantly (p < 0.01) with the increase of PERG P50-N95 amplitudes. After a 2-month period of topical Citicoline wash-out, PERG and VEP values were similar (p > 0.01) to baseline ones. GP eyes showed not significant changes of PERG and VEP values during the entire follow-up.

Conclusions

Topical treatment with citicoline in OAG eyes induces an enhancement of the retinal bioelectrical responses (increase of PERG amplitude) with a consequent improvement of the bioelectrical activity of the visual cortex (shortening and increase of VEP implicit time and amplitude, respectively).

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Acknowledgments

Research for this study (EudraCT N° 2012001703-20) was financially supported partially by the Ministry of Health and partially by Fondazione Roma. The authors acknowledge Dr. Valter Valli Fiore for his technical help in the electrophysiological evaluations.

Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. “G.B. Bietti” Foundation for Study and Research in Ophthalmology - IRCCS, Via Livenza 3, 000198, Rome, Italy

    Vincenzo Parisi, Marco Centofanti, Lucia Ziccardi, Lucia Tanga & Gloria Roberti

  2. Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Marco Centofanti, Manuele Michelessi & Gianluca Manni

Authors
  1. Vincenzo Parisi
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  2. Marco Centofanti
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  3. Lucia Ziccardi
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  4. Lucia Tanga
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  5. Manuele Michelessi
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  6. Gloria Roberti
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  7. Gianluca Manni
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Correspondence to Lucia Ziccardi.

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Parisi, V., Centofanti, M., Ziccardi, L. et al. Treatment with citicoline eye drops enhances retinal function and neural conduction along the visual pathways in open angle glaucoma. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 253, 1327–1340 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-015-3044-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-015-3044-9

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