Journal Article

The effect of citicoline oral solution on quality of life in patients with glaucoma: the results of an international, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over trial

Coco, Giulia, Pappas, Theofanis, Montesano, Giovanni, Romano, Dario, Topouzis, Fotis, Giammaria, Sara, Vandewalle, Evelien, Rossetti, Luca, Stalmans, Ingeborg, Manni, Gianluca, Lemmens, Sophie, Goni, Francisco, Giannoulis, Dimitrios, Galantin, Eleonora, Delgado-Gonzales, Noemi

2023

Overview

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate whether the use of citicoline oral solution could improve quality of life in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma (OAG).DesignRandomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was used. Patients were randomized to one of the two sequences: either citicoline 500 mg/day oral solution-placebo or placebo-citicoline 500 mg/day oral solution. Switch of treatments was done after 3 months; patients were then followed for other 6 months. Follow-up included 3-month, 6-month, and 9-month visits.OutcomesThe primary outcome was the mean change of “intra-patient” composite score of the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25). after citicoline oral solution vs placebo at 6-month visit as compared with baseline.MethodsThe trial was multicenter, conducted at 5 European Eye Clinics. OAG patients with bilateral visual field damage, a mean deviation (MD) ranging from − 5 to − 13 dB in the better eye, and controlled IOP were included. VFQ-25 and SF-36 questionnaires were administered at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month visits. A mixed effect model, with a random effect on the intercept, accounted for correlations among serial measurements on each subject.ResultsThe primary pre-specified outcome of the analysis reached statistical significance (p = 0.0413), showing greater improvement after citicoline oral solution. There was an increase in the composite score in both arms compared to baseline, but it was significant only for the placebo-citicoline arm (p = 0.0096, p = 0.0007, and p = 0.0006 for the three time-points compared to baseline). The effect of citicoline was stronger in patients with vision-related quality of life more affected by glaucoma at baseline.ConclusionsThis is the first placebo-controlled clinical study evaluating the effect of a medical treatment aiming at improving vision-related quality of life in glaucomatous patients.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Citicoline / Glaucoma / Medical treatment / Ophthalmology / Patients / Placebos / Quality of life / Vision / Visual field / Visual perception