The impact of the onset time of atopic keratoconjunctivitis on the tear function and ocular surface findings.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the tear and ocular surface findings between controls, children, and adults with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).


METHODS
Prospective comparative study.


METHODS
Twenty eyes of 10 childhood-onset, 10 eyes of five adult-onset, AKC adult patients, and 12 eyes of six children with infantile-onset AKC, 14 eyes of seven normal adults and seven normal children were recruited. Corneal aesthesiometry, Schirmer test, tear film break-up time (BUT), vital staining, and conjunctival impression cytology were performed.


RESULTS
The Schirmer and Rose Bengal scores in childhood-onset adult AKC patients were considerably worse than adult-onset adult AKC patients, pediatric subjects, and the controls (P < .05). The same significant relation was observed in impression cytology parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular surface disease in childhood-onset adult AKC patients was characterized by greater ocular surface epithelial damage. Prolonged inflammation may be important in the evolution and progression of ocular surface disease in patients with longstanding active AKC.
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa General Hospital, 5-11-13 Sugano, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-8513, Japan. ongucci@yahoo.co.jp
Tatsuya
T
Onguchi
Murat
M
Dogru
Naoko
N
Okada
Naoko Asano
NA
Kato
Mari
M
Tanaka
Yoji
Y
Takano
Kazumi
K
Fukagawa
Jun
J
Shimazaki
Kazuo
K
Tsubota
Hiroshi
H
Fujishima
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000503:physiopathology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000503:physiopathology; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012395:Rose Bengal; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009077:Mucins; D012395:Rose Bengal