Department of Ophthalmology, Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
Mol Med Rep. 2019 Feb;19(2):1056-1064. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9731. Epub 2018 Dec 10.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of an amniotic membrane lacrimal stent in the treatment of dry eye syndrome in a perimenopausal rabbit model. In total, 48 healthy female rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (12 rabbits/group): Group A, sham‑operated group; group B, negative control group; group C, sham‑implantation group; and group D, implantation with amniotic membrane lacrimal stents. A Schirmer I test (SIT), corneal fluorescein staining, optical coherence tomography angiography and corneal confocal microscopy were conducted and the biomechanical properties of the amniotic membrane were measured prior to and 2, 4 and 6 weeks after the operations. There were marked differences in the amount of tear secretion and the SIT following the operation compared with prior to the operation. The amount of tear secretion of group B and C was significantly reduced (F=8.894; P=0.0017). Compared with groups A, B and C, group D demonstrated a significant increase in the amount of tear secretion and a significant reduction in SIT (P<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference between the tear secretion of the A, B and C groups (P>0.05). The cornea epithelial of groups A and D was significantly thinner compared with groups B and C. The superior part [superior temporal (ST)5, superior (S)5, superior nasal (SN)5, ST6, S6 and SN6] was significantly thinner compared with the central part of the cornea epithelium. The corneal epithelia of all groups were thin in the center and thick at the edge. At 6 weeks after the operation, group D exhibited a markedly decreased number of anterior stromal luminescent cells, compared with groups A, B and C. Furthermore, the bending degree of corneal stromal neural trunks was significantly improved, and the density, branches and curvature of corneal epithelium sub‑basal nerves ameliorated to a certain extent (P<0.05). Amniotic membrane lacrimal stents demonstrated specific therapeutic effects on dry eye in perimenopausal female rabbits.
本研究旨在探讨羊膜泪道支架治疗围绝经期兔干眼症的效果。共 48 只健康雌性兔随机分为 4 组（每组 12 只）：A 组，假手术组；B 组，阴性对照组；C 组，假植入组；D 组，羊膜泪道支架植入组。分别于术前及术后 2、4、6 周进行 Schirmer I 试验（SIT）、角膜荧光素染色、光学相干断层扫描血管造影和角膜共聚焦显微镜检查，并测量羊膜的生物力学特性。术后与术前相比，泪液分泌量和 SIT 均有明显差异（F=8.894；P=0.0017）。B 组和 C 组泪液分泌量明显减少（F=8.894；P=0.0017）。与 A、B 和 C 组相比，D 组泪液分泌量明显增加，SIT 明显降低（P<0.05）。但是，A、B 和 C 组之间的泪液分泌量无统计学差异（P>0.05）。A 组和 D 组的角膜上皮明显薄于 B 组和 C 组。角膜上皮的上半部分（颞上（ST）5、上（S）5、上鼻（SN）5、ST6、S6 和 SN6）明显比角膜上皮的中央部分薄。所有组的角膜上皮均在中央变薄，在边缘变厚。术后 6 周，D 组前基质荧光细胞数量明显少于 A、B 和 C 组。此外，角膜基质神经束的弯曲程度明显改善，角膜上皮下神经的密度、分支和曲率也得到一定程度的改善（P<0.05）。羊膜泪道支架对围绝经期雌兔干眼症具有特定的治疗作用。
