PEMF: an Adjunct Therapy for Anterior Uveitis (PEMF)

PEMF an Adjunct Therapy for Anterior Uveitis

The purpose of this study is to determine if a medical device (ActiPatch) that emits a low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) will benefit patients with anterior uveitis. Anterior uveitis (aka iritis) is an inflammatory disease involving the front segment of the eye. This is a common cause of a painful red eye, and ActiPatch has been shown to be effective in treating tissue inflammation. The conventional treatment of iritis typically involves frequent administration of topical steroids which have their own inherent risks (development of cataracts and/or glaucoma). The purpose of this study is to determine if ActiPatch therapy can be used to shorten the length of time and/or quantity of steroids administered.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Anterior Uveitis; Iritis
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: PEMF; Device: PEMF Placebo

Detailed Description

Iritis is an inflammatory disease focused in the anterior chamber of the eye. The inflammation inside the eye can lead to a number of conditions that ultimately effect vision. These can include glaucoma, posterior synechiae, cystoid macular edema, and cataract. The standard treatment for the disease is drug therapy centered around the administration of corticosteroids. These are administered in the form of eye drops, and if necessary periocular/intraocular injections, or/and by systemic oral/IV administration. Unfortunately, the treatment with corticosteroids can similarly induce severe side effects including glaucoma and cataract formation. ActiPatch is a medical device that emits a low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field. This device has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain in a number of conditions, eg blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery). ActiPatch is FDA approved for use after blepharoplasty to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain. The treatment is not invasive, does not require additional medication, and side effects from ActiPatch and other PEMF devices have not been reported. The potential benefit of treating uveitis with ActiPatch is the potential to reduce the time and/or amount of steroid administration. This would benefit patients by reducing the risk of unwanted side effects of the corticosteroid treatment.

The benefit to society would be an improved treatment for anterior uveitis.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 18
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
      • Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Human subjects who have been clinically diagnosed with anterior uveitis (iritis) but are in otherwise in good health will be recruited for the study. The age requirement will be a minimum of 18 yrs. We will recruit 24 patient for this study. Subjects will only be included who have been clinically diagnosed with anterior uveitis (noninfectious). Eligibility will be determined by the treating Ophthalmologist (principal investigator) for inclusion in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Vulnerable subjects, as defined by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), will not be recruited for participation (This includes individuals under 18, pregnant women, prisoners, fetuses, patients mentally or physically unable to provide written informed consent).
• Other groups excluded include: patients with pacemakers and patients with ferromagnetic metal implants since these devices may be effected by the pulsed electromagnetic field.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Active Device; ActiPatch, a device that emits a low frequency energy called "pulsed electromagnetic field" (PEMF), will be worn by patients over the eye with anterior uveitis for 8 hours/day for 7 days. Patients will also be treated with topical steroids.	Device: PEMF; ActiPatch will be worn by patients over the eye with anterior uveitis for 8 hours/day for 7 days. Patients will also be treated with topical steroids.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Device; Patients wear the PEMF placebo device for 8 hours/day for 7 days over the eye being treated for anterior uveitis. Patients will also be treated with topical steroids.	Device: PEMF Placebo; Patients wear the placebo device for 8 hours/day for 7 days over the eye being treated for anterior uveitis. Patients will also be treated with topical steroids.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Inflammation Grade at Day 7	Degree and grade of ocular inflammation based on Standard Uveitis Nomenclature will be assessed at initial visit, Day 3, and Day 7 of use of the PEMF device to assess if the PEMF device decreases the duration and severity of ocular inflammation when used as an adjunctive therapy for anterior uveitis. The results posted here are from day 7. The Standard Uveitis Nomenclature scale ranges from 0 to 4, with 0 indicating a minimal level of ocular inflammation and 4 indicating the maximal level of corneal inflammation.	7 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
• Collaborators: BioElectronics Corporation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: George Papaliodis, MD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• McLeod KJ, Lee RC, Ehrlich HP. Frequency dependence of electric field modulation of fibroblast protein synthesis. Science. 1987 Jun 12;236(4807):1465-9. doi: 10.1126/science.3589667.
• Nicolle FV, Bentall RM. Use of radio-frequency pulsed energy in the control of postoperative reaction in blepharoplasty. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1982;6(3):169-71. doi: 10.1007/BF01570638.
• Lee JH, McLeod KJ. Morphologic responses of osteoblast-like cells in monolayer culture to ELF electromagnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics. 2000 Feb;21(2):129-36. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1521-186x(200002)21:23.0.co;2-q.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 29, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 29, 2010
• First Posted (Estimate): June 30, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 28, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 31, 2018
• Last Verified: January 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: anterior uveitis; PEMF; iritis
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Eye Diseases; Panuveitis; Uveal Diseases; Iris Diseases; Uveitis; Uveitis, Anterior; Iridocyclitis; Iritis
• Other Study ID Numbers: 09-03-020

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: A forthcoming article will include a chart that will document individual participant data.