The evaluation of the treatment response in obstructive meibomian gland disease by in vivo laser confocal microscopy.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the status of periglandular inflammation, ocular surface and tear function alterations in patients with obstructive meibomian gland disease (OMGD) by in vivo confocal microscopy before and after anti-inflammatory treatment, and to compare the results with patients receiving only topical non-preserved artificial tears and sodium hyaluronate eye drops without anti-inflammatory agents.

METHODS:

Thirty-two eyes of 16 OMGD patients receiving anti-inflammatory treatment (treatment group) and 22 eyes of 11 OMGD patients receiving only topical non-preserved artificial tears and sodium hyaluronate eye drops (control group) were recruited in this prospective study. All subjects underwent slit-lamp examinations, tear film break-up time (BUT) measurements, fluorescein and Rose-Bengal stainings, Schirmer test capital I, Ukrainian without anesthesia, transillumination of the lids (meibography), and in vivo laser confocal microscopy of the lids (HRTII-RCM).

RESULTS:

The mean BUT, fluorescein staining scores, and inflammatory cell densities observed by in vivo confocal microscopy improved significantly in the group receiving anti-inflammatory treatment (p < 0.05), whereas no significant alterations of these parameters were observed in the group not receiving anti-inflammatory agents (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

In vivo confocal microscopy was able to effectively demonstrate the treatment responses in patients with OMGD. Inflammatory cell density calculation seems to be a promising new parameter of in vivo confocal microscopy in the evaluation of treatment responses.

• Authors: Yukihiro Matsumoto, Yuta Shigeno, Enrique Adan Sato, Osama M A Ibrahim, Megumi Saiki, Kazuno Negishi, Yoko Ogawa, Murat Dogru, Kazuo Tsubota
• Journal: Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie (Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol) Vol. 247 Issue 6 Pg. 821-9 (Jun 2009) ISSN: 1435-702X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19101718 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Glucocorticoids
• Ophthalmic Solutions
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Ofloxacin
• Minocycline
• Fluorometholone

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Administration, Topical
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Blepharitis (diagnosis, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Fluorometholone (therapeutic use)
• Glucocorticoids (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Hyaluronic Acid (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Meibomian Glands (drug effects, pathology, physiopathology)
• Microscopy, Confocal
• Middle Aged
• Minocycline (therapeutic use)
• Ofloxacin (therapeutic use)
• Ophthalmic Solutions (therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Tears (physiology)
• Treatment Outcome