BACKGROUND: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial condition affecting the ocular surface. Recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) has emerged as a potential new treatment for neurosensory dysfunction. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rhNGF in patients with DED. METHODS: A comprehensive search of six online databases-Medline, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Ovid Medline, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar-was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of rhNGF in patients with dry eye disease, focusing on outcomes such as tear production, ocular surface integrity, and adverse events. RESULTS: = 80%). Non-severe adverse events were more frequent with rhNGF, while serious adverse events were similar between groups. Non-severe adverse events were more frequent in the rhNGF group, while the incidence of serious adverse events was comparable to that of the placebo group. CONCLUSION: rhNGF shows promise for improving tear production in patients with dry eye disease, as demonstrated by significant improvement in Schirmer test results. However, evidence for broader clinical efficacy remains limited, with other outcomes showing non-significant or heterogeneous findings. Current data are based on a small number of trials, indicating the need for larger, well-designed studies to clarify the therapeutic role and safety profile of rhNGF in dry eye disease.
Qutub et al. (Wed,) studied this question.