AIM: To analyze the relationship between tear film break-up time(BUT)and systemic factors.

METHODS: From January 2015 to July 2016 in the medical examination center of Fuzhou General Hospital or hospitalized, there were 747 cases included. All participants were observed for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, break-up time equivalent. The relationship between tear film rupture time and systemic factors was analyzed with simple and multiple linear regression analysis by SPSS19.0.

RESULTS: Simple linear regression analysis results showed that the diastolic pressure and tear break-up time were positively correlated(P<0.05); age, systolic blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein was negatively correlated with BUT(P<0.05), but no correlation between triglyceride and tear film break up time(P=0.227). Multiple linear regression analysis suggested that the tear film rupture time was positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure(P<0.001), but negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure(P<0.001), blood glucose(P<0.001)and high-density lipoprotein(P=0.019). The time of tear film rupture was not related to age, cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein.

CONCLUSION: The correlation between blood glucose and tear film BUT is the most significant among all the indexes involved, indicating that ocular surface damage may occur in diabetic patients.