Ocular surface indicators and biomarkers in chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease: a prospective cohort study.

Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2021
Authors
Pietraszkiewicz, Alexandra A; Payne, Debbie; Abraham, Maria; Garced, Angel; Devarasetty, Krishna C; Wall, Megan; Menezes, Supriya M; Ugarte, Sveti; Pirsl, Filip; Goklemez, Sencer; Ferris, Frederick L; Barrett, John; Battiwalla, Minoo; Childs, Richard W; Pavletic, Steven Z; Bishop, Rachel J
Secondary
Bone Marrow Transplant
Date Published
2021 Mar 08
Keywords
allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT); longitudinal cohort study; ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD)
Abstract

This longitudinal cohort study compared ocular surface indicators in forty allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) subjects with twenty healthy controls at baseline and identified changes in ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD). Outcome measures included: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear osmolarity, Schirmer's test, Oxford corneal staining score, tear break-up time (TBUT), and tear and serum biomarkers (IFN-γ, IL-10, MMP-9, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, CXCL10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, TNF-α). At baseline the HSCT group had higher median Oxford corneal staining score (1.7 vs. 0.0; P < 0.0001), higher tear TNF-α (20.0 vs. 11.2 pg/mL; P < 0.0001), lower tear RANTES (70.4 vs. 190.2 pg/mL; P < 0.0001), higher serum IL-8 (10.2 vs. 4.5 pg/mL; P = 0.0008), and higher serum TNF-α (8.7 vs. 4.2 pg/mL; P < 0.0001). The incidence of oGVHD was 62% and associated changes included increased Oxford corneal staining score (4.6 vs. 1.8, P = 0.0001), decreased Schirmer's test (3.0 vs. 10.0; P < 0.0001), and decreased TBUT (4.7 vs. 9.0 s; P = 0.0004). Baseline differences in ocular surface indicators suggest a tendency toward ocular dryness in individuals with hematologic disorders preparing for HSCT. Individuals who developed oGVHD showed changes in corneal staining score, Schirmer's test, and TBUT.