[Mycophenolatemofetil in ocular immunological disorders. A survey of the literature with 3 case reports].

BACKGROUND

Up to now ophthalmologists have only a small number of substances in their therapeutic armamentarium for the treatment of ocular immunological disorders. These are very potent agents, and any rapidly proliferating cells are extremely sensitive to such agents, thus the possibility of severe side effects is great. Mycophenolatemofetil (MMF) has been shown to be effective in preventing acute graft rejection following clinical renal and cardiac transplantation with a low risk of adverse events. Likewise MMF was effective in the treatment of experimental immunological disorders. A review of literature was performed in Medline.

CASE REPORTS: We report on the effective use of MMF in a patient with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, the switch from Cyclosporin A (CSA) therapy to MMF therapy following high-risk keratoplasty due to CSA allergy and about the combination therapy (CSA/MMF) in a patient following high risk keratoplasty, in whom CSA monotherapy was not sufficient to prevent allograft rejection.

CONCLUSIONS

In these three cases MMF has been shown to be a safe and effective agent for the treatment of ocular immunological disorders. Whether these beneficial casuistic experiences will hold true will be depended on the outcome of longterm studies underway.