Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate tear neuromediators depending on the ocular sensitivity in patients with dry eye (DE) and normal participants
Methods :
Thirty-one patients with DE and 29 normal participants were recruited. Eyes were stimulated by exposure to the irritative product used for the periocular region. Tear film break-up time (TBUT) and corneal staining score were measured, and tear samples were collected. After stimulation, participants completed the questionnaire to classify the ocular sensitive group who felt more than 5 minutes of ocular irritation. Concentrations of neuromediators including nerve growth factor (NGF), serotonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P, neuropeptide Y (NPY), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were measured in tears by ELISA. Baseline neuromediator concentrations were compared using the independent t-test between patients with DE and healthy subjects according to the ocular sensitivity. The changes in the concentration of tear neuromediators after stimulation were examined using the Mann-Whitney U test in patients with DE and healthy participants.
Results :
Baseline TBUT was significantly lower in the sensitive groups than in the non-sensitive group. Compared to healthy subjects, DE patients with high ocular sensitivity showed higher baseline NGF, while DE patients with low ocular sensitive showed lower baseline CGRP. Among healthy participants, CGRP and Substance P were increased after stimulation in the sensitive group, however, serotonin and VIP were decreased in the non-sensitive group. In patients with DE, CGRP increased after stimulation in the sensitive group. The baseline value of VIP was lower in the sensitive group than in the non-sensitive group in patients with DE.
Conclusions :
Tear neuromediators associated with DE showed changes in their concentration depending on the status of DE and ocular sensitivity. In addition, the lower TBUT and low level of baseline VIP could suggest a higher corneal sensitivity in DE.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.