title: [Exfoliative conjunctival cytology in Sjögren's syndrome].
abstract: The study has been performed in order to give a contribution to the knowledge of the conjunctival cytology in Sjögren's syndrome. Exfoliated cells were obtained by a tampon from the inferior conjunctival sac of 11 patients affected by primary or secondary Sjögren's syndrome; the material was placed onto a microscope slide and it was stained with May-Grumwald-Giemsa, after the ferning test had been performed. Tear production had been previously assessed in all patients by Schirmer's I test and basic secretion test that showed an evident tear fluid hyposecretion. Cytoanalysis of tear fluid showed, in all patients, a marked lymphocytosis, presence of epithelial cells (sometimes cell-adhesion) and a number of "snake-cells", with a nucleus-cytoplasm ratio in favour of cytoplasm. Some of those cells have a thicker cytoplasmic membrane and/or a spindle-shaped peripheral nucleus, characteristic finding of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. In all cases we found mucus and fibrin (sometimes with included cells), organic debris and big crystals, some of which aggregated.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Reumatologia, Università degli Studi di Palermo.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sallì
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damiani
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jacò
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Compagno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pappalardo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007638:Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013666:Tears / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism