[Dry eye--etiopathogenic and histopathologic correlations].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the role of the common inflammatory mechanism in the pathogenesis of the dry eye syndrome.


METHODS
64 patients with eye surface symptoms were studied using a diagnostic algorithm: questionnaire (eye symptoms were graded and a symptomatology SCORE was calculated), objective eye examination (including Schirmer's test and the tear film breakup time-BUT). Histopathological examination of 14 conjunctival bioptic fragments was performed.


RESULTS
59.37% of the patients had a positive Shirmer's test, while only 23% tested positively for the BUT. No statistically significant correlation was established between Schirmer's test and the BUT or the symptomatology SCORE. There was a significant correlation between BUT and the symptomatology SCORE (p<0.05) and between BUT and the duration of the disease (p<0.01). The histopathological examination of the dry eye conjunctival samples evidenced the following alterations: loss of calyciforme cells, squamous metaplasia of the epithelium, subepithelial inflammation.


CONCLUSIONS
The histological analysis confirms the implication of inflammation in the pathogenesis of the disease. The time of onset of the inflammation cannot be established, it may be initial or it may occur with the quantitative decrease of tears or with eye surface alterations.
Universitatea de Medicină Iuliu Haţieganu, Clinica de Oftalmologie, Cluj-Napoca.
Cristina
C
Stan
Mihaela
M
Mera
Ovidiu
O
Samoilă
Simona
S
Bedeoan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001706:Biopsy; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires