Vernal keratoconjunctivitis-like disease in adults.

Purpose: To identify clinical, demographic, immunologic, and health-related quality-of-life data from a cohort of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) patients with the onset of the disease after puberty (VKC-like disease).

Design: Retrospective, observational case series.

Methods: Forty-nine patients with late-onset VKC-like disease from among 600 consecutive VKC patients.

Histamine H4 receptors in normal conjunctiva and in vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Background: While it is known that histamine is the primary mediator of ocular allergy, the presence and distribution of histamine receptors are not well documented in the human eye. Our aim was to evaluate histamine receptor expression in normal and vernal keratoconjunctivitis conjunctiva.

Methods: Mucosal biopsies were obtained from conjunctiva of healthy donors and from tarsal conjunctiva of vernal patients.

Transforming growth factor-β/Smad - signalling pathway and conjunctival remodelling in vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Background: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic ocular allergic inflammation characterized by corneal complications and the formation of giant papillae. Sma- and Mad-related proteins (Smad) modulate extracellular matrix gene expression during wound healing, inflammation and tissue remodelling.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between allergic inflammation and TGF-β/Smad signalling pathway, expression in VKC patients and in primary cultured conjunctival fibroblasts exposed to mediators found previously over-expressed in VKC.

Allergy and the eye.

The eye represents an ideal and frequent site for the allergic reactions. The term 'allergic conjunctivitis' refers to a collection of disorders that affect the lid, conjunctiva and/or cornea. Even though the diagnosis is essentially clinical, local tests such as cytology, conjunctival provocation and tear mediator analysis can be performed.

Immunopathogenesis of ocular allergy: a schematic approach to different clinical entities.

Purpose Of Review: The immunopathogenesis of ocular allergic disorders is generally related to the specific immunoglobulin E-mediated mast cell activation and the following cascade of inflammatory mediators. Seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis, however, are the only ocular diseases to involve solely type I hypersensitivity. The other main forms, vernal and atopic keratoconjunctivitis, have a more complex immunological basis and a chronic inflammatory component.