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Graft-Versus-Host Disease

A cross-sectional study on vision-related quality of life in patients with ocular GvHD

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 50, pages 1224–1226 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Ocular GvHD affects about 40–60% of patients receiving bone marrow transplantation. Ocular complaints worsen quality of life (QoL), which, besides survival time, is a primary end point in a patient's follow-up. The aim of our study was to assess the ocular surface status and vision-related QoL (VRQoL) and explore the potential determinants in VRQoL in patients with chronic GvHD with ocular involvement. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated 40 patients with ocular GvHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation assessing ocular symptoms and signs, VRQoL and ophthalmologic parameters. The median age was 52.1 years; 32.5% were females. Most of them presented a multiple organ involvement. Ophthalmological parameter examinations were on average abnormal. Corneal staining was severe/very severe in 25%; conjunctival staining in 10% of subjects. The worse QoL scores were on ‘general vision’, ‘ocular pain’, ‘vision-specific mental health’ and ‘vision-specific role difficulties’. Both symptoms and sign scores indicate poor VRQoL. A lower VRQoL was related to schooling level, job position, underlying disease and extracorporeal photopheresis. Corneal staining, Schirmer and tear film breakup time were negatively associated to visual function-related subscales. An accurate ophthalmological and VRQoL assessment should be mandatory for a long time to promptly recognize early signs of ocular suffering, and to prevent irreversible ocular complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy

    S Pezzotta, G C Rossi, E Antoniazzi & P E Bianchi

  2. Biostatistic and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Scientific Direction, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy

    L Scudeller

  3. Immunohaematology and Transfusion Service, Apheresis Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy

    C Perotti & C Del Fante

Authors
  1. S Pezzotta
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  2. G C Rossi
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  3. L Scudeller
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  4. E Antoniazzi
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  5. P E Bianchi
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  6. C Perotti
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  7. C Del Fante
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Correspondence to S Pezzotta.

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Pezzotta, S., Rossi, G., Scudeller, L. et al. A cross-sectional study on vision-related quality of life in patients with ocular GvHD. Bone Marrow Transplant 50, 1224–1226 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2015.24

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