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Conjunctival impression cytology and tear film parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) findings and tear film parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with controls.

Methods

Thirty-three patients with MS (MS group) and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (control group) were included in this cross-sectional comparative study. CIC grades, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer 1 test results, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were compared between the two groups, and correlations between CIC grade, TBUT, Schirmer 1 test result, OSDI score, Expanded Disability Status Scale score, and disease duration were analyzed.

Results

Mean CIC grade was higher in the MS group than in the control group (1.48 ± 0.71 and 0.39 ± 0.56, respectively; p < 0.001). In the MS group, CIC of the 14 participants (42.4%) was grade 2–3. In the control group, CIC of the only one participant (3.3%) was grade 2, and none of them was grade 3. TBUT (8.12 ± 3.16, 13.06 ± 4.23 s in MS and control groups, respectively; p < 0.001) and Schirmer 1 test results (8.45 ± 5.75, 17.36 ± 10.89 mm in MS and control groups, respectively; p < 0.001) were lower, and OSDI score (36.36 ± 19.19, 13.70 ± 15.36 in MS and control groups, respectively; p < 0.001) was higher in the MS group compared to the control group.

Conclusion

In patients with MS, objective findings of dry eye, subjective symptoms related to dry eye, and CIC abnormalities, including high grades of conjunctival squamous metaplasia and goblet cell loss, are more common. Patients with MS should be monitored for ocular surface alterations and dry eye disease.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

The work has been done without receiving any financial support from any third party.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Selman Belviranli, Ali Osman Gundogan, Enver Mirza & Refik Oltulu

  2. Department of Pathology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Pembe Oltulu

  3. Department of Neurology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Ali Ulvi Uca & Mustafa Altas

  4. Department of Pathology, 25 Aralik State Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey

    Nazli Turk

Authors
  1. Selman Belviranli
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  2. Pembe Oltulu
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  3. Ali Ulvi Uca
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  4. Ali Osman Gundogan
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  5. Enver Mirza
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  6. Mustafa Altas
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  7. Nazli Turk
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  8. Refik Oltulu
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. PO, AUU, AOG, and NT contributed to the acquisition of data. SB, EM, MA, and RO contributed to the analysis and interpretation of data. SB, AUU, AOG, and EM drafted the manuscript. PO, MA, NT, and RO were involved in critical revision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Selman Belviranli.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no proprietary or financial interest in any product mentioned in this article.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, and followed the tenets of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. (Decision No: 2020/2436).

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Informed consent was taken before each individual’s participation in this study.

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Belviranli, S., Oltulu, P., Uca, A.U. et al. Conjunctival impression cytology and tear film parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis. Int Ophthalmol 42, 593–600 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-021-02031-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-021-02031-5

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