April 2010
Volume 51, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2010
In vivo Confocal Microscopy of Meibomian Glands in Sjogren’s Syndrome
E. Villani; M. De Capitani; S. Beretta; D. Galimberti; F. Viola; V. Canton; R. Sala; R. Ratiglia
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • E. Villani
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Uboldo (VA), Italy
  • M. De Capitani
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • S. Beretta
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • D. Galimberti
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • F. Viola
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • V. Canton
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • R. Sala
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • R. Ratiglia
    Eye Clinic Fondazione OMP-MaRE, IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  E. Villani, None; M. De Capitani, None; S. Beretta, None; D. Galimberti, None; F. Viola, None; V. Canton, None; R. Sala, None; R. Ratiglia, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  None.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2010, Vol.51, 3386. doi:
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      E. Villani, M. De Capitani, S. Beretta, D. Galimberti, F. Viola, V. Canton, R. Sala, R. Ratiglia; In vivo Confocal Microscopy of Meibomian Glands in Sjogren’s Syndrome. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2010;51(13):3386.

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Abstract

Purpose: : To evaluate the morphological changes of the meibomian glands and the status of periglandular inflammation in patients with primary (SSI) and secondary (SSII) Sjogren’s syndrome by in vivo confocal microscopy and to investigate the correlations between clinical and confocal findings.

Methods: : Twenty patients with SSI, 25 with SSII, 20 with meibomian gland disease (MGD) and 20 age- and gender-matched control subjects were consecutively enrolled. Each partecipant completed an Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire and underwent a full eye exam (including BUT, fluorescein and lissamine green staining, and Schirmer test) and a laser confocal microscopy examination of the meibomian glands (to study acinar unit density and diameter, meibum secretion reflectivity, atrophic and fibrotic changes and inflammatory cells density in basal epithelium, interstitium and glandular epithelium).

Results: : All the clinical and confocal parameters showed statistical significant differences among the groups (P<0.001, Kruskal Wallis test). Confocal microscopy showed no differences between SSI and SSII (Mann-Whitney U test).Compared to control subjects, SS meibomian glands showed higher periglandular inflammation and secretion reflectivity and more evident atrophic and fibrotic changes (P<0.001, Mann-Whitney U test).Compared to MGD, SS meibomian glands had higher acinar density, smaller diameter, higher density of periglandular inflammatory cells and lower secretion reflectivity (P<0.001, Mann-Whitney U test).In SS patients, the 3 considered confocal signs of inflammation were significantly interrelated and correlated with corneal fluorescein staining (P≤0.01, Spearman). Acinar density and diameter were strongly correlated between them (P<0.001) and with BUT (P<0.05).

Conclusions: : In vivo laser confocal microscopy can effectively demonstrate morphological and inflammatory changes of meibomian glands. In SS patients, the most evident alterations are inflammatory and fibrotic findings, with characteristics easily differentiable from MGD.

Keywords: cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye • microscopy: confocal/tunneling • inflammation 
© 2010, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2024 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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