Association between ocular herpes simplex virus and topical ocular hypotensive therapy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Virology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Ocular herpes simplex virus (OHSV) is a significant cause of ocular morbidity.
• Topical ocular hypotensive therapies are commonly used for glaucoma management.
• The potential association between these therapies and OHSV remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a potential association between the use of specific topical ocular hypotensive therapies and the occurrence of ocular herpes simplex virus (OHSV).
• To determine the prevalence of OHSV in patients undergoing treatment with ocular hypotensive agents.

Main Methods:

• A population-based, retrospective cohort study utilizing managed care database claims from September 1996 to June 2002.
• Ocular herpes simplex virus (OHSV) events were identified via ICD-9 codes or specific antiviral ophthalmic medication claims.
• Analysis included 93,869 glaucoma patients and 192,840 agent-utilizing patient combinations across 21 different ocular hypotensive agents.

Main Results:

• A total of 411 patients experienced an OHSV event, with an overall OHSV event rate of 0.11%.
• No statistically significant association was found between the use of any of the 21 topical ocular hypotensive agents and OHSV event rates.
• Estimated OHSV prevalence rates were 161-165 per 100,000 population during the study period.

Conclusions:

• Ocular herpes simplex virus (OHSV) is exceptionally rare in patients treated with topical ocular hypotensive therapies.
• The prevalence of OHSV in this patient group is comparable to that in the general population.
• This study found no evidence to support an association between specific topical ocular hypotensive therapies and the development of OHSV.