Helicobacter Pylori and Dry Eye
Completed
Conditions studied: Helicobacter Infections
In brief
This study will examine whether infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria may cause inflammation of the eye's surface. Although most people who are infected with H. pylori do not have symptoms, the bacteria can cause several diseases, including gastritis-stomach inflammation, stomach ulcers or, rarely, stomach cancer, and certain types of lymphoma. H. pylori has also been associated with autoimmune disorders, in which the patient's immune system attacks the body's own tissues. People who have been infected with H. pylori, with and without dry eye, may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history, a blood test to determine H. pylori infection, and an eye examination. The examination includes measurements of visual acuity, eye pressure, and tear production. To measure the amount of tear production, a small piece of filter paper is inserted over the eyelid on the side and collects tears over a 5-minute period. Drops of two colored dyes (orange and green) are placed in the eyes to see if there are any dry areas. Screening also includes examination of the pupils and eye movements, the lens, and the back of the eye, including the retina. Participants will also have a few cells collected from the surface of the eye. After the eyes are numbed with anesthetic eye drops, a swab (like a Q-tip) is rolled over the surface of the white part of the eye to collect small samples of the superficial layer of the conjunctiva - a transparent membrane covering the eyeball. The specimens are analyzed by special laboratory techniques to determine whether H. pylori has infected the eye.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT00083291
- Run by
- National Eye Institute (NEI)
- People needed
- 10
- Starts
- 2004-05-01
- Expected to finish
- 2005-03-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2008-03-04
Who can join
Age: any. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Patients with ocular surface disease including aqueous or evaporative tear deficiency who are seropositive for H. pylori will be eligible. Controls will be adults without ocular surface disease who are seropositve for H. pylori.
You may not qualify if…
- None listed.
Where it is running
- National Eye Institute (NEI) — Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.