This study retrospectively analyzes the immune and inflammatory indices of patients with lacrimal-gland benign lymphoepithelial lesion (LGBLEL) in order to screen out reference indices with higher diagnostic efficacy. The medical histories of patients whose diagnoses of LGBLEL and primary lacrimal prolapse were confirmed by pathology between August 2010 and August 2019 were collected. In the LGBLEL group, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, rheumatoid factor (RF), and immunoglobulins G, G1, G2, and G4 (IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG4) were higher (p < 0.05) and the expression level of C3 was lower (p < 0.05) compared to the lacrimal-gland prolapse group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that IgG4, IgG, and C3 were independent risk factors for predicting LGBLEL occurrence (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the prediction model (IgG4+IgG+C3) was 0.926, which was significantly better than that of any single factor. Therefore, serum levels of IgG4, IgG, and C3 were independent risk factors for predicting the occurrence of LGBLEL, and the combined diagnostic efficacy of IgG4+IgG+C3 was the highest.

Background Extraocular muscle is usually affected by thyroid disease or inflammatory pseudotumor, but seldom by neoplastic process. Primary malignant lymphoma involving isolated extraocular muscle is very rare, especially after 6 years of chronic myositis. Case presentation A middle-aged female presented with swelling of the lower lid of the right eye for 2 months. Magnetic resonance imaging showed significant enlargement of the right inferior rectus muscle belly. The patient first presented 6 years prior with upper eyelid swelling. A total of 5 surgical biopsies of the right eye were performed during 6 years with the following successive findings: inflammatory pseudotumor, chronic inflammation, inflammatory lesions, IgG4-related ophthalmic disease, and lastly, extraocular muscle extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma). Conclusion MALT lymphoma may have occurred as a result of chronic extraocular myositis. Malignancy should be considered in patients with recurrent painless extraocular muscle hypertrophy. Differential diagnosis can rule out thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), whose symptoms are similar. Diagnosis confirmation by biopsy is warranted if necessary.