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Source: George D Henderson (AHCS)
This is
fascinating; I believe that dry eye in hep C is due to amino acid
(protein) deficiency as supplementing 5-HTP, cysteine/methionine and
selenium corrected this symptom and dry mouth.
Decreased tear lactoferrin concentration in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Tohru Abea, Ako Nakajimaa, Mutsumi Matsunagaa, Shozo Sakuragia, Masafumi Komatsub
a Department of Ophthalmology, Akita University School of Medicine,
Akita City, Japan, b First Department of Internal Medicine, Akita
University School of Medicine, Akita City, Japan
Correspondence to: Tohru Abe, MD, Department of Ophthalmology,
Akita University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita City, 010-8543,
Japan.
Accepted for publication 3 December 1998
BACKGROUND/AIMS
Decreased tear volume in patients with chronic hepatitis C has been
reported in the literature. Lactoferrin is abundantly present in human
tears, the main source of which is the acini of the lacrimal glands. In
this study tear lactoferrin levels were measured to investigate the dry
eye condition of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
METHODS
Lactoferrin in tears/fluid was measured by a radial immunodiffusion
assay in 42 patients with chronic hepatitis C. The rate of lacrimal
secretion was determined by the cotton thread test. Rose bengal
staining of the ocular surface was also performed.
RESULTS
Only three patients out of 42 complained of dry eye sensation and,
in 31 patients, six showed positive results on the rose bengal staining
test of the ocular surface. The lactoferrin concentration of tear fluid
in the chronic hepatitis C group (1.42 (SD 0.56) mg/ml) was
significantly lower than in the control group (1.90 (0.62) mg/ml; p
<0.00048). The cotton thread test results in the chronic hepatitis C
group (12.9 (5.5) mm) were significantly lower than in the control
group (17.9 (5.3) mm; p<0.00048). Also, in the chronic hepatitis C
group, tear lactoferrin concentration correlated with the results of
the cotton thread test (r = 0.35, p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Chronic hepatitis C patients showed both decreased tear volume, and
decreased tear lactoferrin concentration. These findings suggest that
there may be dysfunction of the lacrimal glands in patients with
chronic hepatitis C, which may account for the mild dry eye.
More on the antiviral effect; lactoferrin binds to HCV protein
coat. (Does HCV have iron on coat? Does HCV bind to iron?) Lactoferrin
therefore acts as non-specific antibody against HCV
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