Comparison Of Clinical Efficacy Of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Immunoassay And Tear Osmolarity In Evaluating Dry Eye Severity

To evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of matrix metalloproteinase-9 immunoassay and tear osmolarity measurement in diagnosing dry eye severity.

National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Republic of Korea

Dry eye disease (DED) patients underwent diagnostic tests including matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) assay, tear osmolarity measurement, fluorescein tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, anesthetized Schirmer test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, and slit lamp examination. The dry eye parameters were compared according to positive MMP-9 status and increased tear osmolarity. The correlation between dry eye profiles and MMP-9 positivity and high tear osmolarity was also analyzed.

Those who tested positive in MMP-9 immunoassay has significantly higher corneal fluorescein staining score and worse DED severity than those who tested negative. The intensity of MMP-9 positivity showed positive correlation with the corneal staining score and DED severity. However, DED patients with high tear osmolarity above 308 mOsm/L did not show significantly different dry eye signs and symptoms compared to those with lower tear osmolarity values. Also, tear osmolarity did not show any correlation with other dry eye parameters.

Positive MMP-9 was associated with ocular surface staining and dry eye severity, however tear osmolarity did not show any correlation.