Clinical and allergological analysis of ocular manifestations of sick building syndrome

Figures & data

Table 1 Cases of sick building syndrome

No	Age	Sex	Place where symptom occurred	Conjunctival lesion score	Corneal lesion score	Limbal lesion score	Clinical type
1	7	F	School	1	1	1	VKC
2	8	M	School	1	1	1	VKC
3	27	F	English conversation school	3	1	0	AC
4	34	F	Underground shopping arcade	1	1	0	AC
5	34	F	Own house	3	0	0	AC
6	41	F	Own house	2	0	0	AC
7	41	M	Company building	1	1	0	AC
8	43	F	Own house	2	1	0	AC
9	47	F	Supermarket	2	0	0	AC
10	54	F	Own house	1	0	0	AC
11	55	F	Subway station	2	1	0	AC
12	57	F	Sports gym	2	1	0	AC

Note: Clinical evaluation of ocular findings was carried out according to the ocular clinical grading system reported previously,²⁶ and conjunctival, corneal, and limbal scores were summed.

Abbreviations: F, female; VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis; M, male; AC, allergic conjunctivitis.

Table 2 Sex and age distribution of each disease

Disease	Male:female	Age (mean ± standard deviation)
SBS	2:10	37.3±16.6
AC	6:8	28.9±14.5
AKC	6:8	27.1±13.6
VKC	16:5	18.0±5.8**
Normal controls	5:8	31.2±10.2

Note:

** P<0.01 vs SBS independent (t-test).

Abbreviations: SBS, sick building syndrome; AC, allergic conjunctivitis; AKC, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Table 3 Clinical scores of ocular findings

Location of lesions	SBS	AC	AKC	VKC
Conjunctival lesions	1.75±0.75	2.64±0.84*	2.29±1.14	13.7±2.96*
Corneal lesions	0.67±0.49	0.07±0.27**	0.36±0.50	2.05±0.97**
Limbal lesions	0.17±0.39	0	0	1.95±2.08**
Accumulated clinical score	2.58±0.79	2.71±0.82	2.64±1.33	17.7±4.29#

Notes: Values are mean ± standard deviation.

* P<0.05,

** P<0.01, and

# P<0.001 vs SBS (Mann–Whitney U test).

Abbreviations: SBS, sick building syndrome; AC, allergic conjunctivitis; AKC, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Table 4 Serological analysis

Tested item	SBS	AC	AKC	VKC
Serum total IgE (IU/mL)	136±96.3	40.0±45.2**	5,340±5,757**	2,630±3,690**
Peripheral blood eosinophil count (%)	2.85±1.77	3.33±1.95	7.69±3.12#	7.77±3.40#
Number of MAST-positive antigens	1.08±0.90	1.42±0.85	5.57±1.70	3.95±1.96

Notes: Values are mean ± standard deviation. Serum total IgE was analyzed by independent t-test. Other items were evaluated by the Mann–Whitney U test.

** P<0.01 and

# P<0.001 vs SBS.

Abbreviations: SBS, sick building syndrome; AC, allergic conjunctivitis; AKC, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis; MAST, multiple allergen simultaneous test.

Table 5 Comparison of tear cytokines

Biomarker	SBS	AC	AKC	VKC	Normal controls
IFN-γ (pg/mL)	97.0±67.0	101±137	111±72.4	101±44.9	91.7±31.2
IL-2 (ng/mL)	25.0±28.6	75.7±122	74.3±162	124±247	36.8±111
IL-4 (fg/mL)	1.07±1.23*	0.34±0.45*	1.44±2.35*	1.66±2.83*	0.06±0.16
IL-5 (pg/mL)	42.7±32.8	73.9±57.1	104±112	256±194#	40.2±28.9
IL-6 (pg/mL)	15.8±15.8	11.5±11.1	21.2±22.8	48.2±38.3#	8.3±8.3
IL-8 (pg/mL)	9.4±14.0	34.4±25.3	66.8±59.9	132±113**	31.9±43.5
IL-13 (pg/mL)	5.54±6.61	6.96±6.67	20.5±11.2#	16.4±14.8#	3.38±3.67

Notes: Values are mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis was carried out with independent t-test.

* P<0.05,

** P<0.01, and

# P<0.001 vs normal controls.

Abbreviations: SBS, sick building syndrome; AC, allergic conjunctivitis; AKC, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis; IFN-γ, interferon-γ; IL, interleukin.

UchioEKimuraRMigitaHKozawaMKadonosonoKDemographic aspects of allergic conjunctival diseases and evaluation of new criteria for clinical assessment of ocular allergyGraefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol2008246229129617940788

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