The association between demodex infestation and ocular surface manifestations in meibomian gland dysfunction
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Wei He and Xiao-Bo Zhang. Huanghe North Road 128, Shenyang 110034, Liaoning Province, China. hewei0111@163.com; Xiaoboz@xmu.edu.cn

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Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81500693).

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    Abstract:

    AIM: To investigate the association between ocular demodex folliculorum infestation and ocular surface manifestations in meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). METHODS: Eight-six patients with MGD were enrolled. All enrolled subjects were tested in the following sequence: ocular surface disease index (OSDI), slit-lamp biomicroscope examination, corneal surface regularity index (SRI) and surface asymmetry index (SAI), tear fluid collection, fluorescein tear film break-up time (F-BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), Schirmer I test (SIT) and demodex folliculorum counting. Tear matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity was assessed using MMP-9 activity assay kit. RESULTS: Among 86 MGD patients, 40 were positive for demodex. The ocular demodex-positive group showed significantly increased scores of OSDI (25.96±13.74 vs 18.07±11.55, P=0.01), lid margin abnormality (2.38±0.87 vs 1.98±0.91, P=0.04) and CFS (1.28±2.00 vs 0.94±1.36, P=0.01) compared to the ocular demodex-free group. The tear MMP-9 activity was higher in the ocular demodex-positive group (102.9±32.4 ng/mL) than the ocular demodex-free group (46.2±19.2 ng/mL, P=0.03). There was no significant difference in meibum quality and expressibility, SRI, SAI, F-BUT and SIT between the two groups (P>0.05 for each). No significant correlation was noted between the number of demodex and ocular surface parameters in demodex-positive MGD group (P>0.05 for each). CONCLUSION: Ocular demodex folliculorum infestation may be associated with ocular discomfort and ocular surface damage in MGD.

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Xiao-Bo Zhang, Ying-Hui Ding, Wei He. The association between demodex infestation and ocular surface manifestations in meibomian gland dysfunction. Int J Ophthalmol, 2018,11(4):589-592

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Publication History
  • Received:May 14,2017
  • Revised:February 12,2018
  • Adopted:
  • Online: April 10,2018
  • Published: