Hallazgos de microscopia confocal in vivo de la mucosa de la córnea y la lengua en pacientes con síndrome de Sjögren / In vivo confocal microscopy findings of cornea and tongue mucosa in patients with Sjögren's syndrome

Introducción y objetivos: Nuestro objetivo fue investigar si el síndrome de Sjögren (SS) tenía hallazgos distintivos en la microscopia confocal de la lengua de una manera no invasiva. Materiales y métodos: Este estudio retrospectivo de casos y controles evaluó los hallazgos de la microscopia confocal de córnea y lengua de los ojos derechos de 25 pacientes con ojo seco con deficiencia acuosa y 12 voluntarios sanos sin hallazgos de ojo seco. Hubo un total de 14 pacientes diagnosticados con ojo seco asociado a SS (SSDE), mientras que 11 casos fueron evaluados como ojo seco no Sjögren (NSDE). Resultados: Se observó una diferencia significativa en el recuento de células dendríticas a nivel del nervio subbasal corneal entre los grupos SSDE y NSDE (p=0,018). En el grupo SSDE, las imágenes de microscopia confocal de células inflamatorias dendritiformes hiperreflectantes en la mucosa de la lengua estaban a favor de la inflamación. Sin embargo, estos hallazgos no se encontraron en pacientes con NSDE o en controles. Conclusiones: Este estudio mostró que la microscopia confocal proporcionó una evaluación no invasiva de las células inflamatorias en la lengua de los pacientes con SS.(AU)

Introduction and objectives: We aimed to investigate whether Sjögren's syndrome (SS) had distinctive findings in tongue confocal microscopy in a non-invasive manner. Materials and methods: This retrospective case-control study evaluated corneal and tongue confocal microscopy findings of the right eyes of 25 patients with aqueous deficient dry eye and 12 healthy volunteers without dry eye findings. There were a total of 14 patients diagnosed with SS-associated dry eye (SSDE), while 11 cases were evaluated as non-Sjögren dry eye (NSDE). Results: A significant difference was observed in the dendritic cell count at the corneal subbasal nerve level between the SSDE and NSDE groups (P=.018). In SSDE group, the confocal microscopy images of dendritiform hyperreflective inflammatory cells in the tongue mucosa were in favor of inflammation. However, these findings were not found in patients with NSDE or in controls. Conclusions: This study showed that confocal microscopy provided a non-invasive evaluation of the inflammatory cells in the tongue of SS patients.(AU)

In vivo confocal microscopy findings of cornea and tongue mucosa in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate whether Sjögren's syndrome (SS) had distinctive findings in tongue confocal microscopy in a non-invasive manner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective case-control study evaluated corneal and tongue confocal microscopy findings of the right eyes of 25 patients with aqueous deficient dry eye and 12 healthy volunteers without dry eye findings. There were a total of 14 patients diagnosed with SS-associated dry eye (SSDE), while 11 cases were evaluated as non-Sjögren dry eye (NSDE). RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in the dendritic cell count at the corneal subbasal nerve level between the SSDE and NSDE groups (P=.018). In SSDE group, the confocal microscopy images of dendritiform hyperreflective inflammatory cells in the tongue mucosa were in favor of inflammation. However, these findings were not found in patients with NSDE or in controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that confocal microscopy provided a non-invasive evaluation of the inflammatory cells in the tongue of SS patients.