<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Background: Dry eye is a common ophthalmic problem and lactoferrin (LF) is one of the most important components of the immune system. Preliminary findings have suggested that LF concentration in tears may be linked to the risk of dry eye.Objective: We investigated the relationship between dry eye and lactoferrin levels in tears.Material and methods: LF levels in the tears of 40 patients with dry eye and 35 healthy controls were measured by radial immunodiffusion assay. Statistical analysis was used to study the correlation between LF levels and results of both Schirmer’s and tear film break-up time tests and the age of the subject.Results: The concentration of LF was significantly decreased in the tears of dry eye subjects compared with control subjects (P&lt;0.001). There is a positive relationship between LF in tears and results from Schirmer’s and tear film break-up time tests in non-Sj⃞gren’s syndrome (r=0.48 and 0.78 respectively P&lt;0.001), while there is a negative relationship between LF and age (r= -0.74, P&lt;0.005).Conclusions: Decreased LF in tears is a factor in the pathology of dry eye. When treating non-Sj⃞gren’s syndrome, treatment with LF could be added to artificial tear treatment. </abstract>

Background: Dry eye is a common ophthalmic problem and lactoferrin (LF) is one of the most important components of the immune system. Preliminary findings have suggested that LF concentration in tears may be linked to the risk of dry eye.Objective: We investigated the relationship between dry eye and lactoferrin levels in tears.Material and methods: LF levels in the tears of 40 patients with dry eye and 35 healthy controls were measured by radial immunodiffusion assay. Statistical analysis was used to study the correlation between LF levels and results of both Schirmer’s and tear film break-up time tests and the age of the subject.Results: The concentration of LF was significantly decreased in the tears of dry eye subjects compared with control subjects (P<0.001). There is a positive relationship between LF in tears and results from Schirmer’s and tear film break-up time tests in non-Sj⃞gren’s syndrome (r=0.48 and 0.78 respectively P<0.001), while there is a negative relationship between LF and age (r= -0.74, P<0.005).Conclusions: Decreased LF in tears is a factor in the pathology of dry eye. When treating non-Sj⃞gren’s syndrome, treatment with LF could be added to artificial tear treatment.

The relationship between dry eye and lactoferrin levels in tears

Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052,China

Department of ENT, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000,

MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052,

Asian Biomedicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"The relationship between dry eye and lactoferrin levels in tears"}

Background: Dry eye is a common ophthalmic problem and lactoferrin (LF) is one of the most important components of the immune system. Preliminary findings have...

The relationship between dry eye and lactoferrin levels in tears

Article Category: Brief communication (Original)

Published Online: Feb 04, 2017

Page range: 81 - 85

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.0601.130

Keywords
Dry eye, lactoferrin, non-Sj ⃞gren’s syndrome, radial immunodiffusion assay

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The relationship between dry eye and lactoferrin levels in tears

Article Category: Brief communication (Original)

Published Online: Feb 04, 2017

Page range: 81 - 85

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.0601.130

KeywordsDry eye, lactoferrin, non-Sj ⃞gren’s syndrome, radial immunodiffusion assay

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Dry eye, lactoferrin, non-Sj ⃞gren’s syndrome, radial immunodiffusion assay