Concordance between common dry eye diagnostic tests

AIM

Large variations in results of diagnostic tests for mild to moderate dry eye are widely recognised. The purpose of this study was to assess if there was concordance between common dry eye diagnostic tests.

METHODS

A total of 91 subjects were recruited to the study. The tear film and ocular surface were evaluated using the phenol red thread test (PRT), tear film break-up time (TBUT), biomicroscopic examination and impression cytological assessment of conjunctival goblet cells. Dry eye symptoms were assessed using McMonnies' dry eye questionnaire (MQ) and statistical correlations between all tests were assessed.

RESULTS

This study cohort did not include severe aqueous deficient dry eye patients as determined by the PRT. A statistically significant difference was noted between PRT results and all other tests (p

CONCLUSION

A correlation was found only between tests assessing lipid/mucous deficiency (Meibomian gland evaluation, goblet cell density, TBUT and MQ).

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Key Words

• correlation dry eye diagnostic tests

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MESH Headings

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Analysis of Variance
• Conjunctiva/pathology
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological/standards
• Dry Eye Syndromes/diagnosis
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Meibomian Glands/pathology
• Middle Aged
• Reproducibility of Results
• Tears/metabolism
• Young Adult

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Grants

• R01 EY019470 NEI NIH HHS

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Affiliation(s)

J E Moore Centre for Molecular Biosciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland BT52 1SA, UK.
J E Graham
E A Goodall
D A Dartt
A Leccisotti
V E McGilligan
T C B Moore

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A contact dermatitis of broilers--epidemiological findings

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Antibody responses of naive cattle to two inactivated bovine viral diarrhoea virus vaccines, measured by indirect and blocking ELISAS and virus neutralisation

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Risk factors for toxic mastitis in cows

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Aspects of the epizootiology of pancreas disease in farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in Ireland

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Stillbirth/perinatal weak calf syndrome: a study of calves with an abnormal thyroid gland

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The epidemiology of Ascaris suum infections in pigs in Northern Ireland, 1969-1991

This paper presents the results of analysis of condemnations of pig livers due to cirrhosis which, in temperature climates, gives an accurate estimation of Ascaris suum infections. Over the 23 years analysed, a very highly significant upward trend in the prevalence of A. suum is demonstrated. The association between the prevalence and the mean air temperature over the early summer period is highlighted. Thorough cleansing of pig units in early spring and at various times during the summer are suggested as the most appropriate control measure.

Effects of dietary vitamin E and selenium on in vitro cellular immune responses in cattle

Four groups of calves depleted of alpha-tocopherol and selenium (Se) were supplemented with alpha-tocopherol or Se or alpha-tocopherol and Se or received no supplement. In vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses were measured in fetal calf serum (FCS), in autologous serum and in pooled sera from each group. In FCS, the responses to pokeweed mitogen were significantly enhanced for calves supplemented with alpha-tocopherol. In autologous serum, the mean responses to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) were greatest for calves supplemented with Se alone. In pooled sera from each group, lymphocytes from calves supplemented with Se alone showed enhanced responses to KLH in the presence of serum from calves supplemented with alpha-tocopherol. The calves depleted of alpha-tocopherol had increased circulating percentages of BoCD2 lymphocytes, apparently due to changes in the BoCD4 subpopulation. The percentages of B cells were greatest in calves supplemented with alpha-tocopherol and Se. The results indicate that alpha-tocopherol and Se have interactive effects on lymphocyte responses to antigen and suggest that micronutrient status is important when interpreting the results of in vitro assays of lymphocyte function.

Antioxidant enzyme activity in the muscles of calves depleted of vitamin E or selenium or both

Feeding diets depleted of vitamin E and Se to cattle can induce a disease known as nutritional degenerative myopathy. It is believed that an increased peroxidative challenge in muscle is involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. A number of species can up-regulate the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2), glutathione transferase (EC 2.5.1.18), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), and superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), in an attempt to mitigate the effects of a peroxidative challenge. A 2 x 2 factorial study was set up to examine possible changes in the activities of these antioxidant enzymes in muscles of ruminant calves fed on diets low in either vitamin E or Se. Four groups of four calves each were fed on a basal diet of NaOH-treated barley which was supplemented with alpha-tocopherol or Se or both for a total of 50 weeks. Calves fed on diets depleted of vitamin E, but not those fed on diets low in Se, developed subclinical myopathy, as judged by increases in the activity of plasma creatinine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2), and had increased muscle concentrations of two indices of lipid peroxidation, namely thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, with and without ascorbate activation. Feeding diets depleted of vitamin E and diets low in Se both increased muscle activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in heart, biceps and supraspinatus. This change may have occurred in an attempt to maintain intracellular pools of reduced glutathione. No other changes in antioxidant enzyme activity were observed.

Prevalence of pleurisy and pneumonia in pigs in Northern Ireland (1969-1989)

A database of condemnation data from abattoirs was combined with a meteorological database to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of pleurisy and pneumonia in pigs in Northern Ireland and prevailing weather conditions. Between 1969 and 1989 three significant trends were found in the occurrence of condemnations due to pleurisy and pneumonia, and significant correlation coefficients were found between the percentage condemnations and air temperature.

Economic effects of clinical chicken anemia agent infection on profitable broiler production

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