National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital Reports Findings in Eye Diseases and Conditions (Comparative Evaluation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Immunoassay and Tear Osmolarity Measurement for Diagnosing Severity of Dry Eye Disease): Eye Diseases and Conditions

2023 SEP 07 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at South Korea Daily Report -- New research on Eye Diseases and Conditions is the subject of a report. According to news reporting originating from Goyang, South Korea, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “To evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of matrix metalloproteinase-9 immunoassay and tear osmolarity measurement in diagnosing dry eye severity. Dry eye disease (DED) patients underwent diagnostic tests including matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) assay, tear osmolarity measurement, fluorescein tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, anesthetized Schirmer test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, and slit lamp examination.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, “The dry eye parameters were compared according to positive MMP-9 status and increased tear osmolarity. The correlation between dry eye profiles and MMP-9 positivity and high tear osmolarity was also analyzed. Those who tested positive in MMP-9 immunoassay had significantly higher corneal fluorescein staining score and worse DED severity than those who tested negative. The intensity of MMP-9 positivity showed positive correlation with the corneal staining score and DED severity. However, DED patients with high tear osmolarity above 308 mOsm/L did not show significantly different dry eye signs and symptoms compared to those with lower tear osmolarity values. Tear osmolarity was associated with ocular surface staining score in severe DED patients. MMP-9 positivity was associated with ocular surface staining and worse dry eye severity.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Therefore, it may be used as a useful indicator of disease severity in conjunction to other diagnostic tests.”

For more information on this research see: Comparative Evaluation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Immunoassay and Tear Osmolarity Measurement for Diagnosing Severity of Dry Eye Disease. Korean Journal of Ophthalmology, 2023.

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Young Min Park, Dept. of Ophthalmology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include Moonjung Choi and Byung Yi Ko.

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