Topical tacrolimus solution in autoimmune polyglandular syndrome-1-associated keratitis

To evaluate the efficacy of topical tacrloimus eye drops in the treatment of keratitis associated with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS)-1.

This is a retrospective review of 10 patients with APS-1. The patients were treated with topical tacrolimus 0.01% solution at The Eye Center, between 1 March 2012 and 30 April 2016. The outcome measures included improvement in visual acuity, photophobia and keratitis following treatment. Clinical assessment was carried out before, during and on the last visit following initiation of therapy.

A total of 10 patients were included. There were five male and five female patients. The mean age was 11 years with age range of 3–42 years. The mean duration of treatment with topical tacrolimus was 26 months (range 8–46 months). There was improvement of photophobia in 7 out of 10 patients following therapy with topical tacrolimus. In three patients, the photophobia was persistent. There was no clinically detectable improvement in the severity of keratitis in all patients. The mean best corrected visual acuity was 0.1 before and following therapy.

Topical tacrolimus is effective in reducing the photophobia in patients with APS-1-associated keratitis, but showed no effects on the severity of keratitis.