A Single Center, Investigator-blinded Study of the Efficacy of Topical Cyclosporine 0.05% Ophthalmic Suspension (RESTASIS®) Under Occlusion Versus Vehicle in the Treatment of Brittle Nail Syndrome

Detailed Summary

Brittle nail syndrome (BNS) refers to nails that exhibit splitting, raggedness (fraying of the distal edge), and peeling (lamellar onychoschizia).(1) This is a common problem, affecting approximately 20% of women, with higher prevalence among the elderly.(2) A number of factors have been proposed as possible causes of nail brittleness, such as anemia, biotin deficiency, or cysteine deficiency. (3,4) However, most authors believe that brittle nails are usually caused by dehydration of the nail plate, either from repetitive cycles of hydration and dehydration related to hand washing or from exposure to dehydrating chemicals, such as those found in nail enamel and cuticle removers. (5,6) Inflammation of the nail as a potential contributing factor has never been studied. There are currently not consistently effective treatments for this condition. Restasis® is effective in treating keratoconjunctivitis sicca. This condition is characterized by the troublesome condition of dry eyes partially due to decreased tear production exacerbated by inflammation. The BNS manifests itself by nail plate dehydration. The two conditions have in common disruption of water balance which gives rise to problematic clinical disorders. The hypothesis is that a product which benefits tear production would also be effective for brittle nails which contain roughly 15% water.

Study Details

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