Correlation between androgen levels and dry eye parameters in males with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective: To investigate the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in dry eye status in males and whether the hypoandrogenic status has any concomitant impact. Methods: Eighty patients with stable COPD and individually matched healthy volunteers on the basis of body mass index (BMI), age, and sex were enrolled. Ocular surface testing included ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire, evaluation of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), tear fluorescein break-up time (TF-BUT), ocular surface staining with lissamine green (LG), Schirmer test with topical anesthesia and Sirius meibographic analysis of meibomian gland area (MGA) loss. Bioavailable testosterone and free testosterone (fT) were measured through the measured total testosterone (TT), albumin, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations. Results: Patients with COPD had lower levels of circulating androgens, decreased TF-BUT and Schirmer score and increased LG staining score, MGD grade and MG area loss compared to healthy controls (p