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Stem cell source may affect severity and onset of dry eye
Br J Ophthalmol. 2012:96(1):34-37.
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Among patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the severity and onset time of dry eye were affected by the stem cell source, according to a study.
Researchers compared the incidence and severity of dry eye after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation according to the stem cell source. They followed 99 patients who had had one of three transplantations: 67 had bone marrow transplants, 18 had peripheral blood stem cell transplants and 14 had cord blood transplants.
Prospective follow-up was conducted for at least 100 days and included evaluation of ocular surface findings and tear dynamics and chart review of data on systemic graft-versus-host disease.
In total, 42 patients developed dry eye or had worse pre-existing dry eye; 31 patients were in the bone marrow transplant group, eight patients were in the peripheral blood stem cell transplant group and three patients were in the cord blood transplant group. Severe dry eye occurred most frequently in the peripheral blood stem cell transplant group.
"Close attention must be paid to the development of late-onset severe [dry eye] in [peripheral blood stem cell transplantation] recipients," the study authors said.