Relationship between immune-related dry eye, gut dysbiosis remains unclear
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MONTEREY, Calif. — While the gut microbial composition of individuals with early markers of Sjögren’s syndrome differed from that of a control group in a study presented here, no apparent dry eye microbiome signature was seen.
“Our aim was to evaluate the gut microbial composition of individuals with early or late markers of Sjögren’s syndrome compared to controls without [dry eye],” Courtney Goodman and colleagues said in a poster presented at the Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium.
The prospective, cross-sectional study compared gut microbial composition and diversity of 19 subjects with positive early markers of Sjögren’s syndrome and one with late markers vs. 20 age- and sex-matched controls without dry eye.
In the study group, mean age was 61 years, Dry Eye Questionnaire-5 (DEQ-5) score was 15.2, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was 55.1, and Schirmer’s score was 5.8. In the control group, mean age was 59 years, DEQ-5 score was 4.8, OSDI was 14.2, and Schirmer’s score was 18.9.
The study found no significant differences in bacterial diversity or overall community structure. In the study group, however, 32 species were differentially abundant (P < .01), including 27 species that were relatively more abundant in the study group and five that were relatively depleted, according to the poster.
Gut microbiome alterations have been associated with autoimmune diseases, but there are limited data on the relationship between immune-related dry eye and gut dysbiosis, the authors said.
Perspective
Back to TopThe significance of the study is that the microbiome is an emerging area of interest and potential innovations for clinicians who take care of patients with dry eye disease. Given the alterations in the microbiome, clinicians should give extra thought before prescribing antibiotics, which can further affect the microbiome.
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Goodman C, et al. Composition of the gut microbiome in immune-mediated dry eye. Presented at: Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium; Aug. 25-28, 2022; Monterey, California (hybrid meeting).
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