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Evaluation of Tear Function Tests and Conjunctival Impression Cytology Findings in Patients with Gout

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First Author: S.Belviranli TURKEY

Co Author(s):    H. Turk   P. Oltulu   N. Turk   E. Mirza   R. Oltulu        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to evaluate tear function tests and conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) findings in patients with gout in comparison with healthy individuals.

Setting:

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

Methods:

Thirty-four patients with the diagnosis of gout (Group 1) and 32 age- and sex- matched healthy subjects (Group 2) were enrolled in this study. Only the right eye of each participant was included. Tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer 1 test results, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI; Allergan Inc, Irvine, CA, USA) scores and CIC grades were evaluated and compared between the two groups. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in terms of age and gender between the two groups (p=0.078 and p=0.923, respectively). The mean TBUT was 7.00±2.09 sec in Group 1, 12.75±5.25 sec in Group 2 (p less than 0.001), and the mean Schirmer 1 test result was 9.74±6.03 mm in Group 1, 17.16±9.33 mm in Group 2 (p less than 0.001). OSDI score was higher in Group 1 (20.04±12.92) compared to Group 2 (6.19±10.07; p less than 0.001). The mean CIC grade was higher in Group 1 (1.15±0.89) compared to Group 2 (0.47±0.51; p less than 0.001).

Conclusions:

Results of this study reveal that ocular surface alterations evaluated using CIC and tear function abnormalities are more common in patients with gout.

Financial Disclosure:

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