Study on the influences of lacrimal secretion and tear film after interferon-alpha therapy in patients with chronic viral hepatitis

Abstract

Objective To analyze the influences of lacrimal secretion and tear film after interferon-alpha therapy in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Methods Sixty patients with chronic viral hepatitis who would accept the interferon-alpha therapy,including 30 cases of hepatitis B and 30 chronic viral hepatitis C, visited our department of ophthalmology and were enrolled in this study.All cases received eye examination,including medical history,slit lamp examination,corneal fluorescein staining(FL),tear film break-up time (BUT)and schirmer test before interferon-alpha therapy and two months after the therapy. Results In the 60 cases of chronic viral hepatitis,there were 19 dry eye cases(31.67%)and 41 non-dry eye cases(68.33%). In dry eyes group,9 of them(47.37%) were hepatitis B patients and 10 of them were hepatitis C patients(52.63%).There was significant difference in FL grade(t=-5.288,P< 0.05),BUT(t= 5.799,P< 0.05), SchirmerⅠ(t= 5.319,P< 0.05)test in hepatitis B before and two months after interferon-alpha therapy.Statistical significance had been found before and two months after therapy in FL grade(t=-9.103,P< 0.05), BUT(t= 5.682,P<0.05),SchirmerⅠtest(t= 4.592,P<0.05).The incidence of dry eye syndrome in hepatitis B patients increased from 26.70% to 53.30% two months after treated with interferon-alpha,while the incidence of dry eye syndrome in hepatitis C patients increased from 33.30% to 60.00% two months after treated with interferon-alpha. Conclusion Dry eye syndrome is one of common complications in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.Interferon-alpha therapy would influence the lacrimal secretion and damage tear film, which increased the dry symptoms in patients.We should pay attention to the side effects of interferon-alpha therapy. Key words: Hepatitis,Viral,Human; Interferon-alpha; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca