Johanna Garzon P
La Salle´s University, Colombia
Title: Correlation between tear film lipid layer and symptoms in diabetic patients with meibomian gland dysfunction
Biography
Biography: Johanna Garzon P
Abstract
Purpose: To assess the tear film lipid layer pattern in type 2 diabetes patients and healthy subjects, the correlation of the symptoms between the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) symptom questionnaire and the National Eye Institute Vision Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ).
Methods: This is a case-control study and all patients were investigated for the presence of meibomian gland dysfunction/MGD using the International Work Shop in MGD’s criteria according to the meibomian glands/MG secretion’s quality and viscosity, MG’s morphology, and lipid layer thickness/LLT. The LLT was measured using interferometry Polaris system prior and subsequent to a 10-minute period. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) symptom questionnaire and the National Eye Institute Vision Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) were correlated. The results between groups were analyzed using the statistical Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests association between variables was explored by Spearman’s correlation.
Results: 73 subjects were studied (37 diabetics and 36 controls). The mean age was 59±8.7% of participants presented MGD (76% diabetics and 67% controls).The symptoms through OSDI questionnaire was significantly higher (p=0.016) in the diabetic group with a lower NEI VFQ (67.86; p=0.002). The lipid layer pattern was lower in diabetic patients group with DGM; NIBUT was lower in the diabetic group (sg 2.47±1.2), with a significant inverse correlation (52.22%) with MG inflammation and a moderate correlation (32.4%) with corneal staining. The LLT presented a positive correlation between the meibomian gland alteration as hyperkeratinisation and inflammation (p=0.0005) and symptoms. Positive correlations were found in diabetic group between corneal staining and symptoms with OSDI questionnaire.
Conclusions: A correlation was found between NIBUT, inflammation and obstruction of the MG in symptomatic type 2 diabetes patients. The LLT is lower in diabetic group than in normal subjects, which implies decreased tear film stability and increased subjective symptoms associated with a decreased quality of life.