Treatment of dry eye by autologous serum application in Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of autologous serum application for the treatment of dry eye in Sjögren's syndrome.


METHODS
The stability of essential components (EGF, vitamin A, and TGF-beta) in preserved serum were examined following preservation at 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C. In a primary clinical trial, 12 patients with Sjögren's syndrome were treated with autologous serum (diluted to 20% with sterile saline) for 4 weeks, and vital staining of the ocular surface was compared before and after treatment. The effects of serum on mucin (MUC-1) expression were observed in cultured conjunctival epithelial cells in vitro.


RESULTS
EGF, vitamin A, and TGF-beta were well preserved for up to 1 month in the refrigerator at 4 degrees C and up to 3 months in the freezer at -20 degrees C. Rose bengal and fluorescein scores improved significantly from the initial scores of 5.3 and 5.6 to 1.7 and 2.5 after 4 weeks, respectively. The additive effect of human serum for cultured conjunctival epithelial cells showed significant MUC-1 upregulation on the cell surface.


CONCLUSIONS
Autologous serum application is a safe and efficient way to provide essential components to the ocular surface in the treatment of dry eye associated with Sjögren's syndrome.
Tsubota
K
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
Goto
E
E
Fujita
H
H
Ono
M
M
Inoue
H
H
Saito
I
I
Shimmura
S
S
D001769:Blood; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism
D018396:Mucin-1; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014801:Vitamin A; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor