Catching up with Xiidra
This study was released this month. Efficacy of Lifitegrast Ophthalmic Solution, 5.0%, in Patients With Moderate to Severe Dry Eye Disease. It shows that Xiidra works better than placebo for moderate to severe dry eye disease (DED). That makes sense. It’s what I have experienced with using it in the past. (If you can get past the weird taste is causes with patients.)
What I found interesting with this study is that it found that patients felt they improved a lot, but they didn’t look necessarily that much better when looking at corneal staining. This was found mostly in patients who had worse symptoms than signs to begin with. I have to think about why that might be, but it could have to do with patients feeling worse just not manifesting worse signs yet.
I don’t know. Maybe something for us to discuss on the podcast.
Huge grain of salt with this article: it was funded, designed, and the data were interpreted by Novartis Pharma AG which makes Xiidra.