Purpose

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) limit the synthesis of oestrogen in peripheral tissues thus lowering levels of oestrogen. The primary aim was to evaluate whether women treated with AIs have altered dry eye symptoms and signs. A sub-aim was to investigate whether symptoms of dry eye in postmenopausal women were associated with symptoms of non-eye pain, ocular pain and self-rated pain perception.

Methods

This cross-sectional, observational, single visit study recruited 56 postmenopausal women (mean age 64.1 + 7.9 years) and 52 undergoing AI treatment (mean age 66.6 + 9.0). Ocular symptoms (OSDI, MGD14) and pain questionnaires (PSQ, OPAS) were administered and signs of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction were evaluated.

Results

Almost half of each group reported dry eye symptoms, defined as OSDI>12 (48% control, 46% AI). The PSQ score was significantly higher in the AI group (p = 0.04). Neither frequency or severity of dry eye (or MGD) symptoms scores were significantly different between groups. In the AI group, meibomian gland expressibility score was worse (p = 0.003); there were no differences in any other signs. Higher OSDI scores were associated with higher OPAS eye-pain scores (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), but not OPAS non-eye pain (r = 0.09, p = 0.35). Pain perception (PSQ) showed a moderate positive association with OPAS eye-pain (r = 0.30, p = 0.003).

Conclusions

In this study elevated ocular symptoms were observed in both the AI treated and the untreated groups, with no difference between the groups. Women undergoing AI treatment for early stage breast cancer had worse meibum expressibility score and increased pain perception compared to an untreated group of women.

中文翻译：

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芳香化酶抑制剂治疗中的干眼症状和体征以及与疼痛的关系。

目的

芳香酶抑制剂（AIs）限制了周围组织中雌激素的合成，从而降低了雌激素的水平。主要目的是评估接受AIs治疗的妇女是否改变了干眼症状和体征。一个子目的是调查绝经后妇女的干眼症状是否与非眼痛，眼痛和自我评价的疼痛知觉有关。

方法

这项横断面，观察性，单次就诊研究招募了56名绝经后妇女（平均年龄64.1 + 7.9岁）和52名接受AI治疗的妇女（平均年龄66.6 + 9.0）。给予眼部症状（OSDI，MGD14）和疼痛问卷（PSQ，OPAS），并评估干眼症和睑板腺功能障碍的体征。

结果

每组中几乎有一半报告有干眼症状，定义为OSDI> 12（对照组为48％，AI为46％）。AI组的PSQ评分显着更高（p = 0.04）。两组之间干眼（或MGD）症状评分的频率或严重性均无显着差异。在AI组，睑板腺的可表达性评分较差（p = 0.003）；其他任何迹象都没有差异。较高的OSDI评分与较高的OPAS眼痛评分相关（r = 0.49，p <0.001），但与OPAS非眼痛无关（r = 0.09，p = 0.35）。疼痛感（PSQ）与OPAS眼痛呈中度正相关（r = 0.30，p = 0.003）。

结论

在这项研究中，在接受AI治疗的组和未经治疗的组中均观察到了较高的眼部症状，两组之间无差异。与未经治疗的女性组相比，接受AI治疗的早期乳腺癌妇女的胫骨可表达性评分较差，疼痛感也有所增强。