title: Dry Eye Disease Is Already Present in Hematological Patients Before Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze ocular surface parameters in patients before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to correlate them with hematological characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 203 patients undergoing HSCT. Demographic data and hematological parameters (disorder type and stage) were collected from clinical charts. Ocular surface parameters (ocular surface disease index; Schirmer test I; tear film break-up time; corneal esthesiometry; and corneal and conjunctival staining) were analyzed the day before beginning the conditioning treatment for HSCT preparation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high prevalence of dry eye (DE) was found: 116 patients (57.2%) were diagnosed as not suffering from DE, whereas 87 patients (42.8%) were diagnosed as having DE. Of these, 26 were classified as dry eye workshot (DEWS) severity score 1, 46 as DEWS score 2, and 15 as DEWS score 3. Tear film break-up time was found to be the only parameter statistically worse in the chronic lymphoproliferative disorder group compared with the stem cell malignancy group. Older age [odds ratio (OR) 1.03], female sex (OR 2.03), advanced stage of hematological disease (OR 1.4), and previous auto- or allo-HSCT (OR 1.9) showed a significant positive association in predicting DE onset before transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DE was already present in a significant number of patients suffering from hematological disease before HSCT. Some hematological parameters seemed to influence this percentage. These results highlight the role of ocular surface examination by an ophthalmologist in hematological patients before HSCT, with the aim of diagnosing and, if necessary, treating DE patients early.
authors.affiliation: *Ophthalmology Unit, DIMES Department, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy; and†Haematology Institute "L.A. Seragnoli," DIMES Department, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna and S. Orsola-Malpighi Teaching Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannaccare
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonifazi
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sessa
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fresina
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arpinati
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bandini
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Versura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D055815:Young Adult