[Blepharospasm, dry eye and extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (French translation of the article)]. / Blépharospasme, sécheresse oculaire et anticorps anti-nucléaires solubles.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study is to determine a link between benign essential blepharospasm and Sjogren's syndrome by analyzing the presence of extractable nuclear antigens in this population. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) were included in this study. We eliminated patients with hemifacial spasm or blepharospasm secondary to corneal pathology. We collected the values of the Schirmer I test and the results of the anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies. RESULTS: Our study included 72 patients (144 eyes) whose 62 women (86.1%). Mean age was 74.3 years±10.73. Average Schirmer I test was 3.14mm±4.00mm. Five women (8% of this female population) had positive anti-SSA and SSB antibodies. Their mean age was 65.66 years±13.24 whereas the negative antibody patients had an average age of 75.42±9.27. There was no significant difference between their Schimer I test and the Schirmer I of negative antibody population. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the possible association between the presence of Sjögren's syndrome and the occurrence of a BEB justifying the search for anti-SSA and anti SSB in blepharospasm patients.

Blepharospasm, dry eye and extractable nuclear antigen antibodies.

PURPOSE: To study whether there is an association between benign essential blepharospasm and Sjögren's syndrome by analyzing the presence of antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens in this population. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) were included in this study. We excluded patients with hemifacial spasm or blepharospasm secondary to known corneal pathology. We recorded results of Schirmer I testing as well as levels of anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies. RESULTS: Our study included 72 patients (144 eyes), of which 62 (86.1%) were women. The mean age was 74.3±10.73 years. The mean Schirmer I test result was 3.14±4.00mm. Five women (8% of this female population) were found to have positive anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies. Their mean age was 65.66±13.24 years, while the mean age of the antibody-negative patients was 75.42±9.27 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the Schirmer I tests of the antibody positive and negative patients. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a possible association between Sjögren's syndrome and benign essential blepharospasm, justifying anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La testing in these patients.

Dry eye syndrome in benign essential blepharospasm.

PURPOSE: To determine the significance of dry eye syndrome in benign essential blepharospasm. DESIGN: Retrospective consecutive case series. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and forty-four patients (288 eyes) with benign essential blepharospasm. METHODS: All subjects had Schirmer I tear tests. Those scores were analysed as a function of patient age, sex, and blepharospasm severity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Individual Schirmer-test scores in both eyes of all patients. RESULTS: A total of 144 eligible subjects (mean age±SD: 68.3±11.5 years; 76% females) were evaluated. Benign essential blepharospasm was significantly associated with female sex (P=0.0044). The mean Schirmer-test value was 5.9±7.5 (median: 2.5) mm; it was <15mm for 86.8% of the patients and <10mm for 75%, with no difference observed between men and women (P=0.27). Dry-eye syndrome severity was not correlated with age at diagnosis, for men (r=-0.22, P=0.22) or women (r=-0.067, P=0.49), or benign essential blepharospasm severity (P=0.15), but was strongly associated with benign essential blepharospasm independently of age, sex or blepharospasm intensity. CONCLUSION: Dry-eye syndrome and benign essential blepharospasm are strongly linked, independently of age, sex or BEB severity, and should be considered for the diagnosis of benign essential blepharospasm. The useful symptomatic treatment of dry eye will not cure the blepharospasm or the ocular pain, and specific treatment for blepharospasm is required, i.e., quarterly injections of botulinum toxin A into the orbicularis oculi muscle.

Visual improvement after transethmoid-sphenoid decompression in optic nerve injuries.

Transethmoid-sphenoid decompression has been performed on 11 patients with indirect optic nerve injury. Visual improvement occurred in 8 patients, including 4 patients with initial total blindness. Optic neuropathy improved even when there was a long interval, up to 92 days, between trauma and decompression. There is still controversy about the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy. Our results suggest that surgery can be helpful in the management of this condition. Transethmoid-sphenoid optic nerve decompression is a minimally invasive procedure that gave, in this series, satisfactory results with low morbidity.