Using corneal confocal microscopy to track changes in the corneal layers of dry eye patients after autologous serum treatment
Language English Country United States Media print-electronic
Document type Journal Article, Observational Study
PubMed
27654950
DOI
10.1111/cxo.12455
Knihovny.cz E-resources
- Keywords
- Sjögren syndrome, autologous serum, corneal confocal microscopy, dry eye disease, graft-versus-host disease,
- MeSH
- Administration, Topical MeSH
- Fluorescein pharmacology MeSH
- Fluorescent Dyes pharmacology MeSH
- Microscopy, Confocal methods MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Ophthalmic Solutions administration & dosage MeSH
- Cell Count MeSH
- Prospective Studies MeSH
- Cornea pathology MeSH
- Serum * MeSH
- Dry Eye Syndromes diagnostic imaging therapy MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Observational Study MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Fluorescein MeSH
- Fluorescent Dyes MeSH
- Ophthalmic Solutions MeSH
BACKROUND: In vivo corneal confocal microscopy allows the examination of each layer of the cornea in detail and the identification of pathological changes at the cellular level. The purpose of this study was to identify the possible effects of a three-month treatment with autologous serum eye-drops in different corneal layers of patients with severe dry eye disease using corneal confocal microscopy. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with dry eye disease were included in the study. Corneal fluorescein staining was performed. The corneas of the right eyes were examined using in vivo corneal confocal microscopy before and after a three-month treatment with autologous serum drops. The densities of superficial and basal epithelial cells, Langerhans cells, the keratocytes and activated keratocytes, the density of endothelial cells and the status of the sub-basal nerve plexus fibres were evaluated. RESULTS: A significant decrease in corneal fluorescein staining was found after the three-month autologous serum treatment (p = 0.0006). The basal epithelial cell density decreased significantly (p = 0.001), while the density of superficial epithelial cells did not change significantly (p = 0.473) nor did the number of Langerhans cells or activated keratocytes (p = 0.223; p = 0.307, respectively). There were no differences in the other corneal cell layers or in the status of the nerve fibres. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the ability of corneal confocal microscopy to evaluate an improvement in the basal epithelial cell layer of the cornea after autologous serum treatment in patients with dry eye disease. More studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to elucidate the suitability of corneal confocal microscopy to follow the effect of autologous serum treatment on nerve fibres or other corneal layers in dry eye disease patients.
Cell Therapy Department Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion Prague Czech Republic
Department of Physiology Charles University 2nd Faculty of Medicine Prague Czech Republic
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