title: Tearfilm immunoglobulin E (IgE) level in vernal keratoconjunctivitis by ELISA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is recurrent chronic allergic conjunctivitis occurring in the prepubertal age-group with secondary involvement of the cornea and is self-limiting in character. The disease is prevalent worldwide but it shows predominance in the areas with dry and warm climate including the South Asia. VKC represents about 3% of the serious ophthalmic disease in some parts of the world where the prevalence is rate is high.Type I hypersensitivity reaction which is IgE-dependent and type IV hypersensitivity reaction have been implicated for the pathogenesis VKC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the tear fi lm of patients with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) attending outpatient department of BP Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies (BPKLCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four VKC patients and thirty-four controls were included in this study. Tear samples were collected using micro- capillary glass tube method and tear IgE levels were measured using an enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was high concentration of tear IgE level in VKC (95.09IU/ml) than in controls (1.63IU/ml) though the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.16). No statistically significant difference was observed in male and female gender within VKC group and when compared with control group (in male group, p=0.21 and in female group, p=0.26). There was no statistically significant difference observed in tear IgE level in different age groups within VKC group and when compared with control group (p=0.30). The result did not show any significant difference in tear IgE level with respect to the duration of the disease (p=0.23).There was no statistically significant difference in tear IgE level with different episodes of VKC (p=0.69). No statistically significant difference of IgE concentration in tear was seen among different types of VKC (p=0.53) and grades of tarsal and limbal papillae (p=0.72).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was high concentration of tear IgE level observed in VKC.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal, Nepal. supranp@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pokharel
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choudhary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E