Lacrimal gland enlargement and tear film changes in acromegaly patients: A controlled study.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the lacrimal gland volume (LGV) and its correlation with tear film functions, serum growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels in acromegaly patients compared to a control group was aimed. METHODS: This prospective case-control study included the eyes of 38 patients with uncontrolled (UA) and 48 patients with controlled acromegaly (CA) and 44 patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. LGV of the patients was evaluated at the baseline, 3rd, and 6th-month visits with magnetic resonance imaging. Schirmer's test, tear breakup time (TBUT), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores were evaluated at the same visits. Their correlation with serum IGF-1 and GH was investigated. Main outcome measure was the difference in mean LGV. RESULTS: The mean LGV of the acromegaly patients at the baseline visit (116.0 ± 33.2 mm3) and the 3rd-month visit (119.5 ± 36.4 mm3) was higher than the control group (65.2 ± 22.3 mm3 and 63.2 ± 22.3 mm3, respectively; p < 0.001) without any significant difference between the UA and CA patients in the LGV in three consecutive visits (p > 0.05). Among all patients, IGF-1 and GH levels showed a positive correlation with the LGV (p < 0.001; r = 0.52; r = 0.6, respectively). However, Schirmer, TBUT, and OSDI scores did not show any difference among the three groups at each visit (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acromegaly patients may have larger lacrimal glands compared to the controls and this increase correlated with the increased IGF-1 and GH levels. Lacrimal gland volume may have no effect on its tear film related functions.

Calculated CT Volumes of Lacrimal Glands in Normal Korean Orbits

PURPOSE: We used computed tomography (CT) scans to describe normal Korean lacrimal gland volume and lacrimal gland size and then examined their correlations with patient age. METHODS: CT scans were obtained in 213 orbits of 111 patients who underwent CT from January to August of 2013. Aquarius iNtuition (TeraRecon, Foster City, CA, USA) software was used to outline the lacrimal gland in consecutive axial slices and to calculate the volume. RESULTS: The mean volume of the lacrimal gland was 0.589 cm3 in right orbits (SD = 0.090), 0.583 cm3 in left orbits (SD = 0.289), 0.596 cm3 in males (SD = 0.083), and 0.575 cm3 in females (SD = 0.094). There was no significant difference in mean lacrimal gland volume according to laterality (p = 0.614) or sex (p = 0.102) (2-sample t-tests). We investigated mean lacrimal gland volume in 3 age groups. Mean lacrimal gland volume was 0.630 cm3 (SD = 0.080) for the 20 to 40 year old group, 0.553 cm3 (SD = 0.734) for the 41 to 60 year old group, and 0.544 cm3 (SD = 0.885) for the older than 60 years old group. There was an inverse relationship between gland volume and age (Pearson r = -0.384, p = 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: The mean volume of the lacrimal gland decreased with age and there was no significant difference between right and left orbits or between male and female patients.

Calculated Brain CT Angiography Volumes of Lacrimal Glands in Normal Korean Orbits

PURPOSE: To determine the size range of lacrimal glands calculated from Brain CT angiography. METHODS: A retrospective review of 107 CT scans of 214 orbits was performed. Aquaris Intuition Viewer software was used to calculate the volumes. RESULTS: The mean volume of the lacrimal gland was 0.655 cm3 in right orbits and 0.595 cm3 in left orbits, 0.616 cm3 in men and 0.625 cm3 in women. There was a significant difference between right and left (p = 0.012) but no difference between men and women (p = 0.725). Linear regression analyses revealed that there was an inverse relationship between gland volume and age (Pearson r = -0.433, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to report the normal volume range of Korean lacrimal glands as measured by CT scans. A difference was detected in the volume between right and left lacrimal glands. The volume of the lacrimal gland decreased with age, and there were no gender differences.