Cationorm in treatment of dry eye syndrome patients with concomitant autoimmune lesion of thyroid gland
Background: endocrine dysfunctions are inside of the long list of the diseases associated with a development of dry eye syndrome (DES). Uncomplicated cases of DES can be treated symptomatically. Symptoms and clinical signs of the disease may be improved by using artificial tears. Purpose: to assess the efficacy and safety of cationic ophthalmic nanoemulsion Cationorm (Santen, Finland) in treatment of dry eye syndrome patients with concomitant autoimmune lesion of thyroid gland. Material and methods: sixty eight patients (150 eyes) with DES and concomitant autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) aged from 35 to 65 years were included in the study. Thirty of them (60 eyes) had AT without signs of endocrine ophthalmopathy (EOP) and thirty eight of them (90 eyes) had AT with signs of EOP. Examination including evaluation of symptoms, assessment of tear film break-up time (TFBUT), Shirmer test and biomicroscopy of anterior segment of the eye carried out before treatment, and then in 7 days and 1 month of Cationorm application dosed q.i.d. Results: Cationorm application in the patients with DES and concomitant AT allowed to improve clinical symptoms of dry eye syndrome. Symptoms have improved on the first week of the treatment already. 1-month application of Cationorm in patients with AT without EOP led to TFBUT and Shirmer test increase (by 3.1 sec and 4.2 mm, respectively) (p<0.05). In patients with thyrotoxic exophthalmos these characteristics improved by 4.1 sec and 4.2 mm, respectively (p<0.05). In patients with DES and edematous exophthalmos 1-month application of Cationorm led to improvement of TFBUT by 4.4 sec and Shirmer test by 2.1 mm (p<0.05). Among patients with DES concomitant with endocrine myopathies TFBUT increased by 5.3 sec and Shirmer test by 5.1 mm (p<0.05). Tolerability of Cationorm was good in all patient groups. Conclusion: Cationorm is an effective and safe preparation for the correction of dry eye in the patients with concomitant autoimmune lesion of thyroid gland.