Analysis of Demodex infection rate and risk factors in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction.

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the positive rate of Demodex infection in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and to analyze its risk factors. A total of 178 MGD patients admitted to the Jinan Second People's Hospital from April 2020 to February 2021 were enrolled in the present study. All patients were examined for Demodex infection, and their medical history was collected. The positive rate of Demodex infection was calculated after the examination. The medical history, including age, eating habits, pet ownership, and so on, was collected. First, a univariate analysis was conducted to identify the factors associated with positive Demodex infection, and then, a multivariate comprehensive analysis was carried out to identify the main risk factors for positive Demodex infection. In the present study, the positive rate of Demodex infection in 178 MGD patients was 73.60%. The risk factors of Demodex infection in MGD patients were gender, pet ownership, toiletry sharing, and diabetes (all P ≤ 0.15). Age was one of the risk factors for infection [B = 0.105, OR 1.111 (95%CI 1.069-1.155), P = 0.000], and toiletry sharing was more likely to cause positive Demodex mite infection [B = 0.891, OR 2.439 (95%CI 1.066-5.577), P = 0.035]. The Demodex infection was not statistically associated with gender (P = 0.234), pet ownership (P = 1.141), and diabetes (P = 0.295). The positive rate of Demodex infection was higher in MGD patients. The main risk factors affecting the positive rate of Demodex infection included age and toiletry sharing.