[Allergic mediators in tear from children with seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis].

PURPOSE

To evaluate the concentration of allergic mediators in tears of children with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC) compared with controls.

METHODS

Twenty children with allergic conjunctivitis (17 SAC, and 3 PAC) and sixteen healthy children were included in this study. Tear samples were collected using a Merocel sponge (Oasis, 0525), and immediately eluted by incubation in elution buffer and subsequent centrifugation at 20,000 rpm for 30 min at 4°C. Concentrations of histamine (HIS), tryptase (TPS), eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF), major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), IgE and E-selectin were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Data were compared with the Mann-Whitney U test (P<.05), and multivariate analyses were also performed.

RESULTS

Tear levels of TPS (P=.014), MBP (P=.032), ECP (P=.0041), IgE (P=.014) and EDN (P=.00077) showed significant differences in children with SAC and PAC compared to controls.

CONCLUSION

The simultaneous analyses of allergic mediators in the tears of children with SAC and PAC showed a significant elevated concentration in EDN, ECP and MBP in allergic group and decreased levels in IgE and TPS. Statistical analyses showed a diagnostic accuracy of 94.4% using the eight molecules panel.