Effect of Antituberculotic Drug on Ocular Surface Function

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of antituberculotic drug on ocular surface function. METHODS This was a prospective case-control study. Sixty patients with tuberculosis who received antituberculotic treatment were investigated with dry eye questionnaire of ocular surface disease index(OSDI), tear break up time(TBUT), non-invasive tear meniscus height(NITMH), non-invasive break up time-fristNITBUT(f) and non-invasive break up time-averageNITBUT(av) before and after 2 months antituberculosis treatment. IL-6 and TNF-α were also analyzed as tear inflammatory factors. The changes of dry eye index and tear inflammatory factors before and after treatment were compared. RESULTS Compared with before treatment, OSDI score was increased(P<0.05), TBUT, NITBUT(f), NITBUT(av) significantly shortened and lipid layer thickness were significantly decreased after 2 months antituberculotic treatment(P<0.01). There was no significant difference on NITMH and meibomian gland integrity grading between before and after treatment. Tear IL-6 and TNF-α significantly increased after 2 months treatment(P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between NITBUT(f), NITBUT(av) and tear TNF-a(r=-0.510, P<0.01; r=-0.650, P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between NITBUT(f), NITBUT(av) and tear IL-6(r=-0.234, P<0.01; r=-0.386, P<0.01). TBUT was positively correlated with NITBUT(f) and NITBUT(av) (r=0.885, P<0.05; r=0.996, P<0.05). CONCLUSION Oral antituberculotic drug may cause damage to ocular surface function, lead to increased of dry eyes.