Abstract
Purpose::
To identify the differences in the concentration of the MUC2 and MUC5AC in tear film when both techniques are compared.Material and
Methods::
Patients with diagnosis of nasal, primary pterygium bigger than 1 mm, with residence in Mexico City and older than 18 years were included. Under informed consent, patients were divided in two groups in a random fashion. Pterygium surgery was carried out with conventional technique performing amniotic membrane transplantation for group A, and conjunctival autograft for group B. MUC2 and MUC5AC concentration were measured in tear film by ELISA; samples were taken before surgery, at first, third and sixth month, postoperatively. BUT was also measured in the same dates. Descriptive statistics and U- Mann Whitney test for independent groups, considering a p <0.05 as significant were used for analysis.
Results::
- Forty four patients were included, 22 per group. Mean age was 54 years old for group A and 49 years old for group B (p>0.05). Mean concentration of mucins in nanometers for group A were: MUC2 0.25 preoperatively, and 0.37 at sixth month, MUC5AC 0.46 preoperatively and 0.58 at sixth month. Group B: MUC2 0.76 preoperatively and 0.65 at sixth month, MUC5AC 0.49 preoperatively and 0.68 at sixth month. We found differences in concentrations of both mucins in both groups preoperatively (p<0.05) but at sixth month, differences were no any statistically significant (p>0.05). The mean of BUT was 6.55 seconds in group A and 7.32 seconds in group B, preoperatively and at sixth month the two groups had a mean BUT of 6.0 (p>0.05). The incidence of recurrences was 1.3 for group A and 1.8 for group B (p>0.05) .
Conclusions::
- In the present study we have shown that both techniques showed an increased of concentration of mucins. Although, the BUT did not change throughout the study, we think that the restoration of an adequate concentration of mucins will improve ocular surface environment and this can be achieved by either these two techniques.
Keywords: cornea: surface mucins • Pterygium • cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye