Analysis of Cytokine Production Profiles of Local and Systemic Lymphocytes in Sick Building Syndrome Compared with Ocular Allergy

Figures & data

Table 1 Criteria for Clinical Evaluation of Allergic Ocular Findings

Palpebral Conjunctiva	Hyperemia	Severe	Impossible to distinguish individual blood vessels
		Moderate	Dilatation of many vessels
		Mild	Dilatation of several vessels
		None	No manifestations
	Edema	Severe	Diffuse marked edema
		Moderate	Diffuse mild edema
		Mild	Localized edema
		None	No manifestations
	Follicles	Severe	≥20 follicles
		Moderate	10–19 follicles
		Mild	1–9 follicles
		None	No manifestations
	Papillae	Severe	Diameter ≥0.6 mm
		Moderate	Diameter 0.3–0.5 mm
		Mild	Diameter 0.1–0.2 mm
		None	No manifestations
	Giant papillae	Severe	Elevated papillae in 1/2 or more of upper palpebral conjunctiva
		Moderate	Elevated papillae in less than 1/2 of upper palpebral conjunctiva
		Mild	Flat giant papillae
		None	No manifestations
Bulbar conjunctiva	Hyperemia	Severe	Vasodilatation of all vessels
		Moderate	Dilatation of many vessels
		Mild	Dilatation of several vessels
		None	No manifestations
	Chemosis	Severe	Cyst-like chemosis of entire conjunctiva
		Moderate	Diffuse thin chemosis
		Mild	Partial conjunctival swelling
		None	No manifestations
Limbus	Limbal edema	Severe	In ≥2/3 of circumference
		Moderate	In 1/3 to 2/3 of circumference
		Mild	In less than 1/3 of circumference
		None	No manifestations
	Trantas’ dots	Severe	≥9 dots
		Moderate	5–8 dots
		Mild	1–4 dots
		None	No manifestations
Cornea	Epithelial lesions	Severe	Shield ulcer or epithelial erosion
		Moderate	Superficial punctate keratitis with filamentary debris
		Mild	Superficial punctate keratitis
		None	No manifestations

Note: In cases having giant papillae, papillae and giant papillae should be graded simultaneously.

Figure 1 Percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells in PBMC. The results are expressed in percent as mean ± SEM (*P < 0.05).

Abbreviations: PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; SBS, sick building syndrome; AC, allergic conjunctivitis; AKC, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Figure 2 Percentage of IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells in PBMC. The results are expressed in percent as mean ± SEM (***P < 0.001).

Figure 3 Percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells in conjunctiva. The results are expressed in percent as mean ± SEM (*P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001).

Figure 4 Percentage of IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells in conjunctiva. The results are expressed in percent as mean ± SEM (**P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; ****P<0.0001).

Table 2 Correlation Between Percentage of IFN-γ- or IL-4-Producing CD4+ T Cells in PBMC or Conjunctiva and Clinical Score in Patients with SBS

Cells	Correlation Coefficient
IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells in PBMC	−0.056
IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells in PBMC	0.48 (P= 0.072)
IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells in conjunctiva	0.082
IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells in conjunctiva	0.72 (P = 0.0025)

Abbreviations: PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; SBS, sick building syndrome; IFN-γ, interferon-γ; IL-4, interleukin-4.

Figure 5 Correlation between percentage of IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells in conjunctiva and clinical score in patients with SBS. Correlation coefficient between percentage of IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells in conjunctiva and clinical score was significant (P = 0.0025, Spearman’s rank test).