Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e33775. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033775. Epub 2012 Mar 23.
Fungi are a major cause of keratitis, although few medications are licensed for their treatment. The aim of this study is to observe the variation in commercialisation of antifungal eye drops, and to predict the seasonal distribution of fungal keratitis in Brazil.
Data from a retrospective study of antifungal eye drops sales from the only pharmaceutical ophthalmologic laboratory, authorized to dispense them in Brazil (Opthalmos) were gathered. These data were correlated with geographic and seasonal distribution of fungal keratitis in Brazil between July 2002 and June 2008.
A total of 26,087 antifungal eye drop units were sold, with a mean of 2.3 per patient. There was significant variation in antifungal sales during the year (p<0.01). A linear regression model displayed a significant association between reduced relative humidity and antifungal drug sales (R2 = 0.17,p<0.01).
Antifungal eye drops sales suggest that there is a seasonal distribution of fungal keratitis. A possible interpretation is that the third quarter of the year (a period when the climate is drier), when agricultural activity is more intense in Brazil, suggests a correlation with a higher incidence of fungal keratitis. A similar model could be applied to other diseases, that are managed with unique, or few, and monitorable medications to predict epidemiological aspects.
真菌是角膜炎的主要病因，尽管只有少数药物被批准用于治疗。本研究旨在观察抗真菌眼药水的商业化变化，并预测巴西真菌性角膜炎的季节性分布。
收集了巴西唯一一家获准销售抗真菌眼药水的眼科制药实验室（Opthalmos）销售的抗真菌眼药水的回顾性研究数据。这些数据与 2002 年 7 月至 2008 年 6 月巴西真菌性角膜炎的地理和季节性分布相关联。
共销售了 26087 支抗真菌眼药水，平均每位患者使用 2.3 支。全年的抗真菌销售情况存在显著差异（p<0.01）。线性回归模型显示相对湿度降低与抗真菌药物销售之间存在显著关联（R2 = 0.17，p<0.01）。
抗真菌眼药水的销售表明真菌性角膜炎存在季节性分布。一种可能的解释是，一年中的第三季度（气候较为干燥的时期），巴西农业活动更为活跃，这与真菌性角膜炎发病率较高有关。类似的模型可以应用于其他需要使用独特或少数且可监测药物治疗的疾病，以预测其流行病学方面。
