[Measurement of lacrimal secretion in patients with tropical endemic limbo-conjunctivitis: A case control study]

To evaluate lacrimal secretion in patients with tropical endemic limboconjunctivitis (TELC).

We carried out a case-control study at Douala Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital and in Yaoundé Central Hospital from June 10th, 2016 to September 10th, 2019. We selected patients with TELC for the first group and patients followed for ametropia as the second. In the case group, we studied the duration of symptoms and the type of TELC. For both groups, the tear film break-up time (BUT) was considered abnormal if less than 10sec. Lacrimal secretion was measured with Schirmer 1 test. Hyposecretion was defined as a Schirmer 1 test result≤10mm.

Forty patients and 40 controls were involved in the study, and 80 eyes were examined for each group. The mean age was 8.8±3.7 years. The mean duration of symptoms was 14.2±13.1 months. The mixed and palpebral forms were the most common, at 47% and 28%, respectively. We noted an unstable tear film in 48 eyes of cases and 8 eyes of controls (P<0.01). Lacrimal hyposecretion was founded in 41 eyes of cases compared to 8 eyes of the control group (P<0.01). A high risk of lacrimal hyposecretion was associated with TELC (OR=3.1; P<0.01).

Tropical endemic limboconjunctivitis increases the risk of lacrimal hyposecretion.