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Ocular surface inflammation, and nerve growth factor level in tears in active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy

  • Inflammatory Disorders
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Abstract

Purpose

To measure tear nerve growth factor (NGF) concentrations in cases of active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) before and after glucocorticoid treatment, and to correlate NGF levels with disease inflammatory activity and thyroid autoantibody concentration.

Methods

The study involved 20 patients with active TAO and 20 age- and gender-matched controls. Tear break-up time (BUT) was obtained, the Schirmer test was performed, and tear NGF/total protein ratio was measured in control subjects and patients with active TAO before, and 2 and 4 weeks after, steroid treatment.

Results

Tear BUT and Schirmer values significantly increased after 2 and 4 weeks of steroid treatment (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004 respectively). Baseline tear NGF/total protein ratio was higher in patients with active TAO than in control subjects, and the ratio significantly decreased after 2 and 4 weeks of steroid treatment (p < 0.001). Tear NGF/total protein ratio did not correlate with inflammatory activity score, exophthalmos value and thyroid binding inhibiting immunoglobulin (TBII) level (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Tear NGF may have a specific role in ocular surface inflammation, which protects against ocular surface damage in patients with active TAO. Anti-inflammatory treatment significantly reduced the level of NGF in tears, increased tear film stability and production, and decreased congestive symptoms.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a faculty research grant of Yonsei University College of Medicine, awarded in 2006 (grant no. 6-2006-0085).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemungu Shinchondong 134, Seoul, 120-752, Korea

    Jin Sook Yoon, Soo Hyun Choi & Sang Yeul Lee

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Dongguk University School of Medicine, Gyeonggido, Korea

    Sung Jun Lee

  3. Myung-gok Eye Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, ChungNam, Korea

    Joon H. Lee

Authors
  1. Jin Sook Yoon
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  2. Soo Hyun Choi
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  3. Joon H. Lee
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  4. Sung Jun Lee
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  5. Sang Yeul Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sang Yeul Lee.

Additional information

This work was supported by a faculty research grant of Yonsei University College of Medicine for 6-2006-0085.

The authors have full control of all primary data, and we agree to allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review our data if requested.

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Yoon, J.S., Choi, S.H., Lee, J.H. et al. Ocular surface inflammation, and nerve growth factor level in tears in active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 248, 271–276 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-009-1215-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-009-1215-2

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