Corneal Perforation in Patients with Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Emi Inagaki, Yoko Ogawa, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Tetsuya Shimmura, Shigeto Tsubota, Kazuo Tsubota
Primary Institution: Keio University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
What are the clinical features and underlying pathological processes of spontaneous corneal perforation in patients with ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease?
Conclusion
The study found increased MMP-9 expression and accumulation of CD68+ macrophages in the affected areas of corneal perforation in patients with cGVHD.
Supporting Evidence
- Three patients were treated successfully with corneal transplantation.
- One patient healed with a therapeutic soft contact lens within 2 days.
- Definite dry eye was present in 3 of the 4 patients.
Takeaway
This study looked at four patients who had holes in their corneas due to a condition called chronic graft-versus-host disease, and it found that certain immune cells and proteins were involved in the damage.
Methodology
A full ophthalmological evaluation and histopathological analyses were performed on corneal perforation in four patients with cGVHD.
Limitations
The study is limited by the small sample size and the lack of control groups.
Participant Demographics
1 female and 3 males, median age 59 years (range 21 to 70).
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