Analysis Of Genetic Biomarkers: And Corneal Confocal Microscopy In Patients With Fibromyalgia And Dry Eye Disease
Published 2025 - 43rd Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: PP20.02 | Type: Poster | DOI: 10.82333/8dzh-e786
Authors: Francesc March De Ribot* 1 , Carlos Vergés 2 , Verónica Ribas 2 , José Salgado-Borges 3 , Ana Giménez-Capitán 4
1Department of Ophthalmology. Girona Hospital, Girona University, Catalunya, Spain.,girona,Spain, 2Department of Ophthalmology. Dexeus University Hospital. University of Barcelona. Barcelona, Spain.,Barcelona,Spain, 3Clinsborges. Porto. Portugal, porto, Portugal,porto,Portugal, 4Pangaea, Laboratory of Oncology, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain., Barcelona, Spain,Barcelona,Spain
Purpose
Fibromyalgia syndrome is one of the most common musculoskeletal chronic pain disorders with an overall decrease in health-related quality of life that includes symptoms such as fatigue, sleeping problems, morning stiffness, anxiety, depression, and impaired cognitive function, with no specific laboratory findings or diagnostic tests. 30% of patients with Fibromyalgia have Dry Eye. The diagnosis in some cases is complex. We aim to investigate biomarkers for diagnosis of patients with Fibromyalgia and Dry Eye.
Setting
Department of Ophthalmology. Dexeus University Hospital. University of Barcelona. Barcelona, Spain.
Methods
Prospective cross-sectional study with control group (CG), 22 healthy subjects and a similar group of 37 patients with Fibromyalgia and DED (FGDED). All cases, diagnosis of DED was done following DEWS II criteria, Cornea sub-basal nerve plexus with confocal microscopy and a genetic study in blood and tears looking for the presence of the C677T MTHFR gene mutation and the V158M COMT polymorphism. Fibromyalgia was diagnosed with the American Society of Rheumatology criteria and expressed with Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire FIQ.
Results
Comparison between groups, CG and FMDED, showed statistical significance in almost all the parameters studied, however when we analyzed the group with pathology FMDED, we only found significant differences between patients with mild and moderate FIQ < 70 and the severe cases, FIQ>70. In FIQ<70, the degree of severity of dry eye was mild in most cases 83%, although OSDI was high, 43.6 and the confocal showed a P<0.05 vs the CG, very discrete. Tear study, no mutations were detected in the genes analyzed, however in blood the Met/Val and Ala/Val genotypes stand out compared to the CG, p< 0.002 and 0.005 respectively.
Conclusions
DED associated with FM would be neuropathic type, although corneal nerve fibers impaired are only present in severe FM. Diagnosis of FM continues to be a problem, still based on subjective data. We found only a correlation with objective biomarkers in patients FIQ>70, with confocal microscopy and blood genetic analysis.