Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the clinical relevance of anti-HSV IgG assessment in serum and tears in patients with keratitis.
Methods: :
Results from tear and serum samples processed for anti-HSV IgG identification and measurement in our institution between 2000 and 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Tear and serum anti-HSV IgG levels were reported to albumin tear and serum concentrations. A ratio filtered/dosed anti-HSV IgG exceeding 4 was considered positive. A ratio less than 2 was considered negative and a ratio between 2 and 4 was considered intermediate. Clinical charts were recorded. Patients were divided in four groups according to anti-HSV results as follows: positive anti-HSV IgG in tears and serum, intermediate anti-HSV IgG in tears and positive in serum, negative anti-HSV IgG in tears and positive in serum, negative anti-HSV IgG in tears and serum.
Results: :
Three hundred and sixty-four results were identified among which 35 (9.6%) were positive in tears and serum. This latter result was significantly associated with the presence of a corneal ulcer (p = 0.029), stromal opacities (p = 0.039), stromal edema (p = 0.042), corneal vascularization (p = 0.049), neurotrophic keratitis (p = 0.001), and a clinical response to anti-HSV treatment (p = 0.001).
Conclusions: :
Those results suggest that anti-HSV IgG assessment in tears might be useful to identify patients with HSV-related corneal conditions.
Keywords: herpes simplex virus • keratitis