title: The use of impression cytology in the follow-up of severe ocular burns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate by impression cytology (IC) the expression of the MHC class II inflammatory marker HLA-DR by the conjunctival epithelium, the cytological modifications of the conjunctival surface according to the Nelson's classification, and the eventual correlation between the two after severe ocular burns.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 24 patients (24 eyes) who presented with severe ocular burns underwent IC. We compared them with 18 healthy eyes. HLA-DR expression was studied by flow cytometry as well as the conjunctival histology evaluated with the Nelson's classification from 2-24 months after the onset of burns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant upregulation of the expression of HLA-DR in eyes with burns compared to the healthy population at 2 months (p<0.001), 6 months (p<0.001), 12 months (p = 0.019), 18 months (p = 0.0171) and 24 months (p = 0.01766). A significant difference was found between the Nelson grade in the pathological population and those of the healthy population at 2 months (p = 0.0157). HLA-DR upregulation was significantly correlated with the Nelson's grades between 2 months (r = 0.69, p<0.0001) and 6 months (r = 0.61, p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IC technique can act as a useful tool for following-up ocular surface inflammation after severe ocular burns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Poitiers University Hospital, Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gicquel
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Navarre
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Langman
authors.forename: Alix
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coulon
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balayre
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milin
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mercie
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossignol
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barra
authors.forename: Pierre-Marie
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Levillain
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gombert
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dighiero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens