Purpose: To compare nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in tears and on the ocular surfaces of normal control and non-Sj gren’ s type keratoconjunctivitis sicca subjects,and to investigate the effect of 0.1% prednisol...Purpose: To compare nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in tears and on the ocular surfaces of normal control and non-Sj gren’ s type keratoconjunctivitis sicca subjects,and to investigate the effect of 0.1% prednisolone eyedrops on NGF levels in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients. Design: Prospective,double-masked,randomized,comparative clinical trial. Participants: Forty-one keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients and 23 age-and gender-matched healthy subjects. Methods: Baseline tear NGF levels were measured in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients and healthy control subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients received 0.1% prednisolone drops in one eye and 0.1% hyaluronic acid drops in the other,3 times a day for 28 days. Also,impression cytology (IC) and immunostaining for NGF on conjunctival epithelium were performed on both groups. Main Outcome Measures: Tear NGF/total tear protein (TP)-concentration ratio,IC and NGF immunocytologic staining,subjective symptom scale,tear breakup time,and Schirmer values. Results: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients were found to have baseline tear NGF concentrations higher than those of age-and gender-matched healthy control subjects (65.9± 14.5 vs. 122.1± 45.3 pg/μ g,P<0.0001). In keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients,prednisolone treatment for 28 days resulted in a decrease in tear NGF levels,symptom scores,and IC scores,whereas hyaluronic acid treatment had no such effect (68.2± 25.0 pg/μ g vs. 108.0± 43.4 pg/μ g,P< 0.0001 for tear NGF/TP ratio; 2.16± 1.01 vs. 3.39± 1.50,P=0.0014 for symptom scale; 1.05± 0.67 vs. 1.61± 0.86,P=0.0317 for IC). Measurements taken at both 14 and 28 days indicated that neither prednisolone nor hyaluronic acid treatment affected breakup time or Schirmer values. Conclusion: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients showed elevated levels of tear NGF,which were decreased by treatment with 0.1% prednisolone. These data suggest that ocular surface NGF may play an important role in ocular surface inflammation processes associated with dry eyes.展开更多
文摘Purpose: To compare nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in tears and on the ocular surfaces of normal control and non-Sj gren’ s type keratoconjunctivitis sicca subjects,and to investigate the effect of 0.1% prednisolone eyedrops on NGF levels in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients. Design: Prospective,double-masked,randomized,comparative clinical trial. Participants: Forty-one keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients and 23 age-and gender-matched healthy subjects. Methods: Baseline tear NGF levels were measured in keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients and healthy control subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients received 0.1% prednisolone drops in one eye and 0.1% hyaluronic acid drops in the other,3 times a day for 28 days. Also,impression cytology (IC) and immunostaining for NGF on conjunctival epithelium were performed on both groups. Main Outcome Measures: Tear NGF/total tear protein (TP)-concentration ratio,IC and NGF immunocytologic staining,subjective symptom scale,tear breakup time,and Schirmer values. Results: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients were found to have baseline tear NGF concentrations higher than those of age-and gender-matched healthy control subjects (65.9± 14.5 vs. 122.1± 45.3 pg/μ g,P<0.0001). In keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients,prednisolone treatment for 28 days resulted in a decrease in tear NGF levels,symptom scores,and IC scores,whereas hyaluronic acid treatment had no such effect (68.2± 25.0 pg/μ g vs. 108.0± 43.4 pg/μ g,P< 0.0001 for tear NGF/TP ratio; 2.16± 1.01 vs. 3.39± 1.50,P=0.0014 for symptom scale; 1.05± 0.67 vs. 1.61± 0.86,P=0.0317 for IC). Measurements taken at both 14 and 28 days indicated that neither prednisolone nor hyaluronic acid treatment affected breakup time or Schirmer values. Conclusion: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca patients showed elevated levels of tear NGF,which were decreased by treatment with 0.1% prednisolone. These data suggest that ocular surface NGF may play an important role in ocular surface inflammation processes associated with dry eyes.
