Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea.
Beckman Laser Institute Korea, Dankook University, Cheoan, Republic of Korea.
PLoS One. 2021 Mar 8;16(3):e0247365. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247365. eCollection 2021.
Meibomian glands exist beneath the palpebral conjunctiva; thus, it is invisible to the naked eye without infrared imaging. This study used meibography to group patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and assessed the effects of hyperthermic massage and mechanical squeezing in both groups.
Patients with MGD were divided into two groups, according to the degree of meibomian gland loss: group 1, in which the sum of eyelid scores ranged from 0 to 4 (mild to moderate gland loss) and group 2, in which the sum of eyelid scores ranged from 5 to 6 (severe gland loss). Hyperthermic massage and mechanical squeezing were given to both groups once a week for 4 weeks, and only non-preservative artificial tears were allowed. Ocular surface disease index (OSDI), Schirmer's test, meibography score, tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, expressible meibomian gland, and quality before and after treatment were compared.
Of the 49 patients who completed the 4 weeks of treatment and the evaluation at week 5, 29 were assigned to group 1 and 20 were assigned to group 2. Meibography scores, OSDI, TBUT, and expressibility of meibum had significant differences before and after treatments in both groups. However, there was no significant difference between the changes in clinical signs between group 1 and 2 after treatment. Without grouping, all patients showed significant decreases in meibography score, OSDI, cornea staining score, and increases in TBUT and expressibility of meibum after treatment.
Considering the results of the current study, hyperthermic massage and mechanical squeezing may be effective in patients with meibomian gland loss, regardless of the degree of severity.
睑板腺位于睑结膜下，因此，在没有红外成像的情况下，肉眼无法看到。本研究使用睑板腺照相术对睑板腺功能障碍（MGD）患者进行分组，并评估两组患者中热按摩和机械挤压的效果。
根据睑板腺缺失程度将 MGD 患者分为两组：第 1 组，眼睑评分总和为 0 至 4 分（轻度至中度腺体缺失）；第 2 组，眼睑评分总和为 5 至 6 分（严重腺体缺失）。两组均每周进行一次热按摩和机械挤压治疗，持续 4 周，且仅允许使用不含防腐剂的人工泪液。比较治疗前后眼表疾病指数（OSDI）、泪液分泌试验、睑板腺照相评分、泪膜破裂时间（TBUT）、眼表面染色、可挤出的睑板腺和治疗前后的质量。
49 例患者完成了 4 周的治疗和第 5 周的评估，其中 29 例患者被分配到第 1 组，20 例患者被分配到第 2 组。两组治疗前后的睑板腺照相评分、OSDI、TBUT 和睑脂可挤出性均有显著差异。然而，治疗后两组间临床体征的变化无显著差异。不分组的情况下，所有患者的睑板腺照相评分、OSDI、角膜染色评分均显著降低，TBUT 和睑脂可挤出性均显著增加。
考虑到本研究的结果，热按摩和机械挤压对睑板腺缺失的患者可能是有效的，无论严重程度如何。
