Functional stress and microbiota eye in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a multifactorial approach

The authors studied functional stress in subjects with type 2 diabetes with alterations of the ocular surface. 30 diabetic patientswere admitted to the study (9 males and 21 females, mean age 67 +/- 5 years), with signs and symptoms of discomfort and / or dry eye(burning, foreign body sensation, dryness and itching), with Schirmer I less than 10 mm, with break-up time test (BUT) lower at 8seconds according to Van Bijsterveld 1 criteria. A test “measuring perceived stress” (MSP) was performed on all patients to assess theaspects of self-perceived stress aspects, “feeling stressed” derives from a widespread tool in the international arena, the MesureduStress Psychologique (MSP). 30 healthy patients, workers, operators no video displays as controls were also enrolled. The analysis ofindividual cluster showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups with regards to only the Cluster 1 and 2 (p =0.03 and p = 0.04 respectively). Multivariate analysis that pose as outside as the main the presence or absence of clinically significantstress, found that, controlling for age and sex, the number of shifts and the presence of positive Schirmer test are two risk factors forthe development stress. Alteration of the ocular surface in diabetics can easily trigger the chronic process of functional stress changeswith the microbiota of the ocular surface