Differences within patient groups between study entrance (t=1) and follow up (t=2)
| KCS-PSS | p Value | KCS-SSS | p Value | KCS-NS | p Value | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| t= 1 | t= 2 | t= 1 | t= 2 | t= 1 | t= 2 | ||||||||
| n | 21 | 21 | 12 | 12 | 38 | 38 | |||||||
| Dryness of eyes n (%) | 19 (90) | 19 (90) | 9 (75) | 9 (75) | 33 (87) | 30 (79) | |||||||
| Sandy feeling in eyes | 19 (90) | 15 (71) | 7 (58) | 4 (33) | 34 (89) | 26 (68) | |||||||
| Inflammatory reaction in eyes | 9 (43) | 2 (9) | 2 (17) | 0 (0) | 13 (34) | 1 ( 3) | *** | ||||||
| Tear lysozyme concentration | 538 (352) | 815 (570) | 206 (903) | 1971 (1029) | ** | 1163 (793) | 2163 (1252) | *** | |||||
| Schirmer-I test | 4.3 (3.4) | 6.2 (5.9) | 8.1 (5.8) | 13.6 (8.0) | 10.0 (8.2) | 14.0 (9.4) | ** | ||||||
| Rose bengal test | 4.5 (1.9) | 4.7 (2.0) | 2.2 (1.4) | 3.3 (1.3) | 3.3 (2.0) | 2.1 (1.6) | ** | ||||||
KCS-PSS = keratoconjunctivitis sicca in association with primary Sjögren’s syndrome; KCS-SSS = keratoconjunctivitis sicca in association with secondary Sjögren’s syndrome; KCS-NS = keratoconjunctivitis sicca not related to Sjögren’s syndrome.
↵= 0.01 < p < 0.05; ** = 0.001 < p < 0.01; *** = p < 0.001.
Statistical significance of differences between KCS-PSS and KCS-SSS patient groups:
a = p < 0.01. Statistical significance of differencesbetween KCS-PSS and KCS-NS patient groups: b = p < 0.01.
Abnormal values: tear lysozyme concentration <1400 μg/ml; Schirmer-I test ⩽ 5 mm/5 min; rose bengal test ⩾3.