[Exfoliative conjunctival cytology in Sjögren's syndrome]

The study has been performed in order to give a contribution to the knowledge of the conjunctival cytology in Sjögren's syndrome. Exfoliated cells were obtained by a tampon from the inferior conjunctival sac of 11 patients affected by primary or secondary Sjögren's syndrome; the material was placed onto a microscope slide and it was stained with May-Grumwald-Giemsa, after the ferning test had been performed. Tear production had been previously assessed in all patients by Schirmer's I test and basic secretion test that showed an evident tear fluid hyposecretion. Cytoanalysis of tear fluid showed, in all patients, a marked lymphocytosis, presence of epithelial cells (sometimes cell-adhesion) and a number of "snake-cells", with a nucleus-cytoplasm ratio in favour of cytoplasm. Some of those cells have a thicker cytoplasmic membrane and/or a spindle-shaped peripheral nucleus, characteristic finding of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. In all cases we found mucus and fibrin (sometimes with included cells), organic debris and big crystals, some of which aggregated.