Serum sialic acid levels in patients with sympathetic ophthalmitis.

Serum sialic acid levels were measured in 16 patients with sympathetic ophthalmitis, 36 with neglected traumatic uveitis following penetrating injury and 40 healthy subjects. There was no significant alteration of its level in patients with traumatic uveitis. However, its level was significantly elevated in patients with sympathetic ophthalmitis. It was high even in the early stage of the disease. It decreased significantly at the remission stage. It is proposed that measurement of sialic acid level in serum can be used as a diagnostic aid when the diagnosis of sympathetic ophthalmitis remains doubtful on clinical grounds. The extent of rise in its level may be considered a good parameter of the degree of severity of sympathetic ophthalmitis. It may also act as a useful tool to evaluate the drug efficacy in this disease.

Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels in patients with idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis (Eales' disease).

Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels were measured in 27 patients with idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis (Eales' disease) and 31 healthy subjects by single radial immunodiffusion technique. The levels were found to be significantly increased in both moderate and severe types of the disease. The serum levels of this protein paralleled the severity of the disease. The increased alpha-1 acid glycoprotein in serum showed a significant fall to near normal levels during the quiescent stage. Our observations support the hypothesis that idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis is an immune mediated disease. It is proposed that serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein may be considered as a reliable parameter of the activity and the degree of severity of the disease, as well as an useful tool for monitoring the efficacy of treatment.

Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels in acute idiopathic anterior uveitis.

Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels were measured in 56 patients with acute idiopathic anterior uveitis and 42 healthy subjects by a radial immunodiffusion method. The levels were found to be increased significantly in moderate and severe types of uveitis; they were normal in mild type. Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels closely paralleled the severity of the disease. The serum levels of this protein returned to normal after clinical improvement.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin and C-reactive protein levels in acute adenovirus conjunctivitis.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin and C-reactive protein levels were measured in 52 patients with acute adenovirus conjunctivitis and 58 healthy subjects, by ELISA technique. Serum beta-2 microglobulin levels were found to be significantly increased while there was no change in C-reactive protein levels. Serum beta-2 microglobulin levels closely paralleled the severity of the disease. The increased beta-2 microglobulin level in serum showed a significant fall to normal level on clinical improvement. There was no difference in the serum beta-2 microglobulin levels in virus-isolation positive and negative patients.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin level in sympathetic ophthalmitis.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin (beta 2-m) levels were measured in 12 patients with sympathetic ophthalmitis, 34 with neglected traumatic uveitis following penetrating injury and 36 healthy subjects by ELISA technique. There was no significant alteration of its level in patients with traumatic uveitis. However, its levels were significantly increased in patients with sympathetic ophthalmitis. They were high even in the early stage of the disease. Serum beta 2-m levels paralleled the severity of disease. It decreased significantly at the remission stage. Four patients came back with relapse of the condition and the level of serum beta 2-m was again found to be elevated in them. It is proposed that estimation of beta 2-m can be used as a diagnostic aid when the diagnosis of sympathetic ophthalmitis remains doubtful on clinical grounds. It is also suggested that a rise in serum beta 2-m in patients with traumatic uveitis following perforating injuries may point to the onset of sympathetic ophthalmitis. The extent of rise in its level may be considered a good parameter of the degree of severity of sympathetic ophthalmitis. It may also act as a useful tool to evaluate the drug efficacy in this disease and predict relapse.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin level in acute idiopathic anterior uveitis.

Serum beta-2 microglobulin levels were measured in 68 patients with acute idiopathic anterior uveitis and 51 healthy subjects by ELISA technique. The levels were found to be significantly increased in moderate and severe types of uveitis despite a normal renal glomerular function in all patients. The parameters remained unaltered in mild types. Serum beta-2 microglobulin levels closely paralleled the severity of the disease. The increased beta-2 microglobulin level in serum showed a significant fall to normal levels on clinical improvement. The data further strengthen the hypothesis that acute idiopathic anterior uveitis is an immune mediated disease. It is proposed that serum beta-2 microglobulin may be considered as a reliable parameter of the degree of severity of acute idiopathic anterior uveitis, as well as representing a useful tool for the evaluation of drug efficacy, especially in intractable cases.

Alpha 1-antitrypsin and serum albumin in tear fluids in acute adenovirus conjunctivitis.

The alpha 1-antitrypsin and serum albumin levels in tear fluids were measured by electroimmunodiffusion in 76 healthy subjects and 63 patients with acute adenovirus conjunctivitis. They were found to be significantly increased during the acute phase of the disease. There was a correlation between increased severity of disease and increased levels of both the proteins. There was no significant difference in the tear alpha 1-antitrypsin and serum albumin levels in viral isolation-positive and isolation-negative patients. The raised levels of the two proteins in tears may reflect conjunctival inflammation rather than infection, since both isolation-positive and isolation-negative patients had the raised levels. The levels of the two proteins returned to normal with clinical improvement.

Immunoassay of serum muramidase (lysozyme) in ocular diseases.

Serum levels of muramidase activity were measured in 162 patients with different ocular diseases and 84 healthy subjects by electro-immuno-diffusion technique. We demonstrated for the first time that electro-immuno-diffusion technique could be successfully applied for the estimation of serum muramidase concentrations. Serum muramidase was found to be high in significant number of cases with granulomatous uveitis, tuberculous keratitis, central serous retinopathy and Eales' disease. Tuberculosis was presumed to be the cause in them by the process of exlusion. Patients with high serum muramidase activity were subjected to anti-tubercular treatment with a marked clinical improvement. It is suggested that high serum muramidase could be an useful parameter in deciding the line of treatment in patients with ocular diseases of uncertain etiology. Serum muramidase concentrations showed return to normal levels with the clinical improvement of the diseases with treatment. It increased again with the re-appearance of the activity of the diseases.

Serum fibrin degradation products in acute idiopathic anterior uveitis.

Levels of serum fibrin degradation products were measured by the Staphylococcal clumping test in patients with acute idiopathic anterior uveitis and traumatic anterior uveitis. We found them to be significantly increased (P less than 0.001) in patients with acute idiopathic anterior uveitis (11.0 micrograms/ml). The extent of this increase in the serum levels of fibrin degradation products correlated well with increased severity of the disease. It showed return to normal levels (5.0 micrograms/ml) with the clinical improvement. It increased again with the re-appearance of acute stage of the disease. We found no alteration in the levels of serum fibrin degradation products in patients with traumatic anterior uveitis. We hypothesise that uveal deposition of immune complexes causes secondary platelet damage and intravascular coagulation which results in uveal tissue damage through inflammation.

Immunoassay of tear lysozyme in acute adenovirus conjunctivitis.

The tear lysozyme levels were measured by immunoassay in 92 healthy subjects and 98 patients with acute adenovirus conjunctivitis. They were found to be significantly decreased during the acute phase of the disease. The extent of this decline in the tear lysozyme level was correlated with increased severity of disease. There was no significant difference in the tear lysozyme level in viral isolation-positive and isolation-negative patients. The tear lysozyme level showed return to normal levels with clinical improvement.

Biological variations of lysozyme concentration in the tear fluids of healthy persons.

Concentration of tear lysozyme was measured in healthy Indian subjects of the same racial group aged 2 to 78 years by a single radial immunodiffusion technique. Variations in its concentration between the two eyes, during the day, over a period of time, in both sexes, and in different age groups were studied. The diurnal and age-related changes in the concentration of tear lysozyme were found to vary to an appreciable extent. The mean lysozyme concentration in tears was lower in the morning and higher in the evening. It tended to be low in children under 16, rose and attained a plateau in the age group 16-45 years and fell in later life, though still remaining higher than in the children.

Serum complement components in patients with trachoma.

Serum C1q, C3, C4, and C5 components of complement levels were measured in 56 healthy subjects and 98 patients with trachoma. Serum C1q and C3 levels were found to be significantly low in stages II and III. There was no change in serum C4 and C5 levels in any of the stages. The levels of C1q and C3 complement components in serum in stages II and III returned to normal as the disease resolved following the medical treatment.

Serum complement component depression during acute adenovirus conjunctivitis.

Serum C1q, C3, C4, and C5 components of complement levels were measured in 35 healthy subjects and 29 patients with acute conjunctivitis due to adenovirus type 2, 7, and 8 infections. Serum C1q and C3 levels were found to be significantly low, and there was no change in serum C4 and C5 levels. A progressive decline in the serum complement level with the severity of disease was observed. The change in the complement levels in serum showed a tendency to reach normal levels with clinical improvement.

Immunoassay of serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level in uveitis.

The serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level was measured in 60 patients with endogenous uveitis, 27 patients with phacoallergic endophthalmitis, 12 patients with phacolytic glaucoma, and 58 healthy subjects. Thirty-four patients with endogenous uveitis were also followed up for 6 months after treatment, and the serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level was measured again. There was a significant rise in the serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level in cases of endogenous uveitis and phacoallergic endophthalmitis but no alteration in cases of phacolytic glaucoma. Among the patients with endogenous uveitis the level was significantly raised in cases of anterior uveitis, but there was no change in cases of posterior uveitis. A significant rise was seen only in cases of acute anterior uveitis but not in chronic anterior uveitis. The serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level was unaltered in endogenous uveitis despite clinical improvement.

Serum and tear immunoglobulin levels in acute adenovirus conjunctivitis.

Tear and serum IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were measured in 35 healthy subjects and 31 patients with acute conjunctivitis due to adenovirus 2, 7, and 8 infections. Serum IgG and IgM levels were found to be significantly low and there was no change in the serum IgA level. There was a significant rise in the tear IgG level. A progressive decline in the serum immunoglobulin level with the severity of the disease was observed. The changes in the immunoglobulin levels in serum and tears showed a tendency to reach normal levels with clinical improvement.