Abstract: Tear osmolarity and disease severity

What I want to know is: What was the correlation specifically with symptoms?

Tear Osmolarity as a Biomarker for Dry Eye Disease Severity.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2010 Apr 14. [Epub ahead of print]
Suzuki M, Massingale M, Ye F, Godbold J, Elfassy T, Vallabhajosyula M, Asbell P.
Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, United States.

Purpose: To study the association between tear osmolarity and dry eye severity grade, based on a modified Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) scale, as well as with the signs and symptoms used to determine dry eye disease severity.

Methods: 19 patients with dry eye disease were asked to complete an evaluation of dry eye signs and symptoms composed of: the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, corneal staining with fluorescein, conjunctival staining with lissamine green, tear-film break up time (TFBUT), Schirmer's test with anesthesia, and tear sample collection. Tear samples were collected in 5 ul micro capillaries. Tear osmolarity from the right eye was measured using the Advanced Instruments Model 3100 Tear Osmometer (0.5ul sample size).

Results: Tear osmolarity is significantly correlated with dry eye severity grade (modified DEWS). Schirmer's test and tear osmolarity were significantly correlated at -0.52, with Schirmer's test significantly contributing to the independent estimate of tear osmolarity when adjusting for age.

Conclusions: Tear osmolarity correlates with dry eye severity and could provide a biomarker for dry eye disease severity.