Correlations between eyelid tumors and tear lipocalin, lysozyme and lactoferrin concentrations in postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
Common ophthalmological problems are found in patients with eyelid tumors and include ocular surface diseases, such as dry eyes, eyelid disorders, excessive tearing and ocular inflammation.


OBJECTIVE
The potential correlation between the symptomatology, tear break-up time (TBUT) and lipocalin, lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations in the tear film were investigated in a group of symptomatic dry-eyed postmenopausal (PM) women compared to age-matched controls, considering the patients with eyelid tumors.


RESULTS
66 females were divided into two groups of 33 females each, one group having dry eye (DE) and one asymptomatic group (non-dry eye) (NDE), based on their responses to the OSDI questionnaire, TBUT and Schirmer test evaluation. Tears were collected via capillary tubes. Tear lysozyme, lactoferrin and lipocalin concentrations were determined via electrophoresis and the results for patients with or without eyelid tumors were compared. The results revealed significant differences in lysozyme concentration between patients with or without eyelid tumors in the DE group (p = 0.004). Lower levels for TBUT and lactoferrin in the DE group were also found, compared to the NDE group for eyelid tumors patients. Tear lipocalins were in the same range in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Within a PM population, some components of the tear film were found to be at lower levels in patients with eyelid tumors, compared to patients without this pathology, which resulted in the development of DE or in the enhancement of the symptoms of an existing DE.
University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania.
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I
Careba
Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Regina Maria - Private health care network.
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D
Gradinaru
University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania.
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A
Chiva
Ophthalmology Department, Regina Maria - Private health care network.
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M
Totir
Anatomy Department, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
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R
Ciuluvica
Ophthalmology Department, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania ; Ophthalmology Department, Regina Maria - Private health care network.
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S
Gradinaru
Anatomy Department, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania ; Ophthalmology Department, Regina Maria - Private health care network ; University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania.
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E
Ungureanu
D000368:Aged; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism; D005134:Eye Neoplasms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D054835:Lipocalin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
C490098:LTF protein, human; D054835:Lipocalin 1; D009113:Muramidase; D007781:Lactoferrin
Dry eye; lactoferrin; lipocalin; lysozyme; tear lipocalin