The association of conjunctival snake-like chromatin with keratoconjunctivitis SICCA.
OBJECTIVE
This work describes the snake-like chromatin cells in the conjunctiva of patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), assessing the relationship between tear function parameters and the severity of the disease, and searching for any differential pattern that could lead to early and diagnosis help clarify the etiology of KCS.


METHODS
The conjunctiva of 366 eyes from 187 patients with KCS, and 30 eyes from 15 controls, were classified according to the results of the Schirmer I test, break-up time, rose Bengal staining, osmolarity, ferning tests and electrophoresis; they were then studied by impression cytology and electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Snake-like chromatin cells, other nuclear changes, and a decreased number of goblet cells were found by impression cytology in different areas of the KCS conjunctiva. The presence of snake-like chromatin was significantly correlated with the severity of the disease. No nuclear changes were found in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
We assume these findings can be attributed to a natural regeneration of conjunctival cells and to resistance to a pathological reaction to KCS.
Rivas
L
L
Department of Ophthalmology, Dacryology Laboratory, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
Oroza
M A
MA
Sanz
A I
AI
Chen
Z
Z
Shalaby
O
O
Murube
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007638:Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism
D002843:Chromatin; D005136:Eye Proteins