Conjunctival Impression Cytology And Tear-Film Changes In Sarcoidosis: A Subjective And Objective Diagnosis Study

Published 2022 - 40th Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: PO359 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/4vrj-8n95

Authors: Özgür Eroğul ¹ , Aydın Balcı ² , Hamidu Hamisi Gobeka ³ , Neriman Efe ⁴ , Müberra Akdoğan ¹ , Ayşe Yeşim Oral ¹ , Mustafa Doğan* ¹ , Çiğdem Özdemir ⁵ , Murat Kaşıkcı ⁶ , Sinan Saraçlı ⁷

¹Opthalmology,Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University,AFYONKARAHİSAR,Türkiye, ²Department of Chest Diseases,Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases, ,AFYONKARAHİSAR,Türkiye, ³Opthalmology,Ağrı İbrahim Çecen University,AĞRI,Türkiye, ⁴Opthalmology,Afyonkarahisar State Hospital,AFYONKARAHİSAR,Türkiye, ⁵Pathology,Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University,AFYONKARAHİSAR,Türkiye, ⁶Opthalmology,Mugla Sitki Kocman University Education and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology,Muğla,Türkiye, ⁷Statistics Department,Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences,AFYONKARAHİSAR,Türkiye

Purpose

To evaluate sarcoidosis-induced tear film changes using subjective and objective diagnostic tests, particularly conjunctival impression cytology (IC), and to compare the results with healthy individuals

Setting

This study was designed to evaluate sarcoidosis-induced tear film changes using subjective and objective diagnostic tests, particularly conjunctival IC, and to compare the results with those of healthy individuals. the Schirmer I test, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining, as well as conjunctival IC were performed as part of the conjunctival and corneal examinations. To assess subjective ocular symptoms, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used.

Methods

This study evaluated clinical data from 57 right eyes of 57 sarcoidosis patients (Group 1) without ocular involvement who were initially received corticosteroids and Imuran before discontinuing treatment for one year, as well as 33 right eyes of 33 healthy individuals (Group 2) with similar demographic characteristics collected between January 2019 and January 2021. The Schirmer I test, tear break-up time (TBUT), fluorescein staining and conjunctival IC were all performed as part of the conjunctival and corneal examinations following a thorough ophthalmological examination. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used to assess subjective ocular symptoms.

Results

Mean ages in Groups 1 and 2 were 49.26±3.18 and 51.91±2.89 years, respectively (p=0.720). The mean Schirmer I test, TBUT, and OSDI scores differed significantly (p<0.05, for all), with Group 1 having significantly higher percentages of dry eyes than Group 2. Group 1 had significantly higher Nelson's grading system grades than Group 2 based on conjunctival IC analysis (p=0.001). There were no significant differences in visual acuity (p=0.17) or intraocular pressure (p=0.14) between groups.

Conclusions

The Nelson's grading system for conjunctival IC was significantly higher in sarcoidosis patients, in addition to highly significant percentages of dry eyes determined by the Schirmer I test, TBUT, and OSDI. Reduced tear quantity and quality may destabilize the tear film layer, resulting in a variety of ocular symptoms.