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Do rheumatic diseases quietly damage the Eye's oil glands?

NCT ID NCT07810569

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Assiut University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at Assiut University are studying whether rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Sjogren's syndrome harm the meibomian glands, the tiny eyelid glands that keep tears from evaporating. The study compares 120 people with these conditions to 30 healthy volunteers. All participants receive a one-time eye exam that includes infrared imaging of the eyelid glands, tear measurements, and a symptom questionnaire. The team also checks whether gland damage tracks with disease activity and blood markers of inflammation.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If the study links rheumatic disease activity to eyelid gland damage, eye doctors could one day screen and treat dry eye earlier in people with these conditions.
What could go wrong
This is a single-timepoint observational study of 150 people, so it can show associations but not prove that rheumatic disease causes the eye changes. Results may not apply to all patients or all rheumatologic conditions.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 150 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Nov 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Adult patients attending outpatient rheumatology services at Assiut University and Al-Azhar University with confirmed diagnoses of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Sjogren's Syndrome, Ankylosing Spondylitis, or Psoriatic Arthritis), alongside age- and sex-matched healthy control volunteers from the same geographic region with no systemic autoimmune disease or active ocular surface complaints.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older * Ability to provide written informed consent * For rheumatologic patients: Confirmed clinical diagnosis of one of the following autoimmune diseases: * Rheumatoid Arthritis (2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria) * Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (2019 EULAR/ACR classification criteria) * Sjogren's Syndrome (2016 ACR/EULAR classification criteria) * Ankylosing Spondylitis (modified New York criteria) * Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR criteria) * For healthy controls: Age- and sex-matched individuals with no systemic autoimmune disease and no current ocular surface complaints Exclusion Criteria: * Chronic use of topical antiglaucoma eye drops * Ocular surgery within the past 6 months * Active ocular infection or active uveitis * Contact lens wearers who have not discontinued wear for at least 2 weeks * History of ocular chemical burns * Pregnancy or lactation * Incomplete rheumatologic records or missing essential laboratory data

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

ankylosing spondylitis dry eye syndrome Meibomian Gland Dysfunction psoriatic arthritis rheumatoid arthritis Sjogren syndrome systemic lupus erythematosus

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Ankylosing spondylitis Dry eye syndromes Meibomian gland dysfunction Psoriatic arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Sjogren's syndrome Systemic lupus erythematosus

How to take part

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  1. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

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  2. A doctor treating you

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