Cellini Mauro, Versura Piera, Leonetti Pietro, Frigato Marilena, Manfredini Elena, Malavolta Nazzarena, Campos Emilio C
Department of Surgical Science and Transplants, Sect. Ophthalmology, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Policlinico S.Orsola, Via Massarenti, 9 - 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Rheumatol Int. 2007 Jul;27(9):853-7. doi: 10.1007/s00296-007-0325-6. Epub 2007 Feb 13.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the intraocular inflammation at a sub clinical level, in patients suffering from Sjogren's syndrome (SS-I) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), to relate it with the ocular surface status and to verify the diagnostic performance of the method. Twenty-eight patients suffering from SS-I, 31 patients suffering from RA and 31 normal subjects matched in age and gender were included in the study. A Kowa 500F laser cell flare meter was utilized to quantify the aqueous cells and flare in vivo, ocular surface inflammation was graded by conjunctival cytology and dosage of serum albumin in tears, eye dryness was scored with Tear Function Index. All data resulted significantly different in both SS-I and RA patients vs. control group and also different comparing SS-I vs. RA patients group, except for the Flare values. A blood-aqueous barrier breakdown occurs either in SS-I and RA patients; the degree of the damage is related with ocular surface inflammation and dryness. We recommend the aqueous flare be analysed in those rheumatic patients where an ocular surface inflammation has been documented.
