title: Changes of lacrimal gland and tear inflammatory cytokines in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore changes in lacrimal gland and tear inflammatory cytokines in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with TAO were divided into active and inactive TAO groups. These two TAO groups and the control completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), underwent thorough ophthalmologic examinations, and underwent orbital magnetic resonance scan to measure the size of the lacrimal gland. Basal tears, reflex tears induced by nasal stimulation and serum samples, were collected to analyze the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-7, IL-17A, interferon γ, and tumor necrosis factor α by multiplex bead analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The coronal lacrimal gland area was significantly larger in active (P < 0.000) and inactive TAO (P = 0.002) than in the control, and the axial lacrimal gland area was significantly larger in active (P < 0.000) and inactive TAO (P = 0.001) than in the control. The coronal lacrimal gland width was significantly greater in active (P < 0.000) and inactive TAO (P = 0.001) than in the control, and axial lacrimal gland width was significantly greater in active (P < 0.000) and inactive TAO (P = 0.035) than in the control. In TAO patients, the axial area was positively correlated with IL-1β and IL-17A concentrations in tears (r = 0.357, P = 0.013; r = 0.359, P = 0.012), and both coronal and axial areas were positively correlated with IL-6 concentrations in tears (r = 0.346, P = 0.016; r = 0.340, P = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased inflammatory cytokines play an important role in ocular surface damages, and might be associated with the inflammatory involvement of the lacrimal gland.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Danping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Huasheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yuxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines
keywords: inflammatory cytokine; lacrimal gland; ocular surface; tears; thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy