ABSTRACT
Analysis of functional tear production indices in patients with Grave's disease and thyroid eye disease confirmed lacrimal gland involvement in inflammatory autoimmune process. Close direct correlation was found between tear production and main disease characteristics - severity and activity.
Subject(s)
Dry Eye Syndromes/metabolism , Graves Ophthalmopathy/metabolism , Lacrimal Apparatus/metabolism , Tears/metabolism , Adult , Autoimmunity , Dry Eye Syndromes/diagnosis , Dry Eye Syndromes/etiology , Graves Ophthalmopathy/complications , Graves Ophthalmopathy/diagnosis , Humans , Lacrimal Apparatus/immunology , Middle Aged , Multidetector Computed Tomography , Severity of Illness Index , Tears/immunologyABSTRACT
Increase of lacrimal gland (LG) volume was revealed in 1/3 of patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) using visualization methods. Authors show morphological data confirming development of autoimmune process in LG in TED, biopsy samples were studied within 6 hours after exitus. Specific histomorphological characteristics were analysed considering dystrophic and degenerative changes in LG tissue. Quantitative assessment of fibrosis and vascularization extent is determined using fibrosis and vascularization index.
