Is chronic or acute dacryoadenitis more common?

• A. Chronic
• B. Acute
• C. Both equally
• D. Neither

Answer: (A)

Chronic inflammatory processes are the more common cause of dacryoadenitis. The lacrimal gland can become inflamed from long-standing autoimmune or inflammatory diseases—such as sarcoidosis, Sjögren syndrome, or IgG4-related disease—and from chronic infectious processes. These situations tend to produce a persistent, often painless or minimally tender swelling of the lacrimal gland that lasts weeks to months, making chronic dacryoadenitis a more frequently encountered presentation in many clinical settings. In contrast, acute dacryoadenitis is usually due to an infectious attack (viral or bacterial) and presents with a rapid onset of gland swelling, tenderness, and sometimes fever, but these acute cases are typically fewer in number compared to chronic inflammatory cases.