Relationship between goblet cell density and tear function tests.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to find a relationship between goblet cell density (GCD) and other diagnostic tests of dry eye in a group of normal healthy Chinese subjects. The capability of using GCD as a tear function test was assessed.


METHODS
A total of 42 optometry students with no contact lens wear history were recruited. Subjects were required to fill in a dry eye questionnaire. The non-invasive tear break-up time (NITBUT) of each subject was measured, followed by phenol red thread test (PRTT) and tear break-up time (TBUT) tests. Conjunctival epithelial cells from the inferior nasal bulbar conjunctiva were harvested by the impression cytology technique. The specimens collected were labelled and stained with PAS (Periodic Acid Schiff)-haematoxylin. The goblet cells and the conjunctival epithelial cells were counted under a light microscope of 100x magnification. Spearman's rho (rho) correlation test was used to analyse the relationship between GCD and the other tear function tests.


RESULTS
With a probability level of 0.0051 (corrected for a cumulative familywise error rate of p = 0.05), GCD was found to have no correlation with NITBUT (rho = -0.193, p = 0.222), McMonnies Dry Eye Scores (MCDES) (rho = -0.052, p = 0.742), PRTT (rho = - 0.188, p = 0.234) and TBUT (rho = 0.246, p = 0.117).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no correlation between GCD and MCDES, NITBUT, PRTT and TBUT. The GCD alone is not a useful diagnostic test for tear film instability in normal eyes although it is a good indicator in the diagnosis of ocular surface diseases.
Yeo
Anna Chwee Hong
AC
School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Singapore Polytechnic, 500 Dover Road, Singapore 139651, China. yeocwhng@ sp.edu.sg
Carkeet
Andrew
A
Carney
Leo G
LG
Yap
Maurice Keng Hung
MK
D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*