In this post, we look at some relatively recent research regarding the still-emerging drug safety issue of Elmiron and maculopathy, i.e., maculopathy is an Elmiron vision side effect.
According to “Screening needed for pentosan polysulfate sodium-associated maculopathy”, published on September 2, 2021, by Ocular Surgery News:
In most cases, retinal findings do not appear until a patient has been on [Elmiron] for 10 to 15 years, according to Elliott Sohn, MD, of the University of Iowa. Because patients generally start to present with interstitial cystitis in their 40s, once they start to develop maculopathy, it is easily confused with macular degeneration.
“The maculopathy appears to be dose dependent and most often seen when the patient has been on [Elmiron] for a total cumulative dose of 1,500 g,” Sohn said. “A lot more research needs to be done to better understand why and how this is happening, as well as the prevalence of it.”
Two medical journal articles published in 2021 have presented some of this needed research about Elmiron and maculopathy.
First, from the Abstract for this study report published in the September 1, 2021 edition of The Journal of Urology, “PD01-09 PATIENT PERCEPTION OF OCULAR RISK IN PENTOSAN POLYSULFATE USE FOR INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS”:
- CONCLUSIONS: While the mechanism of maculopathy in [Elmiron] use is not fully understood, this risk must be weighed against its potential benefit as a treatment for interstitial cystitis. Physicians should counsel patients on risk of ocular complication in long term and high dose [Elmiron] use, and consider alternative therapies and early ophthalmologic referral in patients with lifetime cumulative doses [of Elmiron] greater than 500 g.
Second, from the Abstract for this study report published in the February 11, 2021 edition of the medical journal Clinical Ophthalmology, “Maculopathy Secondary to Pentosan Polysulfate Use: A Single-Center Experience”:
- Conclusion: A novel drug-induced maculopathy has been associated with [Elmiron] use with a distinct clinical constellation that can be accurately identified with multimodal imaging.
Of course, we will continue to monitor this still-emerging drug safety issue of Elmiron and maculopathy.
Our law firm is investigating possible Elmiron drug injury lawsuits for cases of an Elmiron vision side effect such as retinal pigmentary changes and pigmentary maculopathy resulting in vision loss.
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