Asymptomatic Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in a Middle-Aged Population in Taiwan - A Cross-sectional Analysis

Alexander Chen,Ching-Hsi Hsiao,Yih-Hsiou Hwang,Hung-Ta Chen,Wei-Chi Wu,David Hui-Kang Ma,Yi-Tsun Chen,Chi-Chun Lai,Chi-Chin Sun,Hung-Chi Chen

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05368-z

Abstract

Managing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is the key to prevent CVD. This study aimed to prevent CVD by introducing asymptomatic meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a condition associated with various CVD risk factors, as an early indicator for CVD in middle-aged population. Participants with and without asymptomatic MGD underwent standardized questionnaires, physical examinations, and laboratory investigations. One ophthalmologist completed the identification and grading of MGD by using slit-lamp biomicroscopy examination on the eyelid margins, meibomian gland orifices, and meibomian gland secretions. Standardized techniques were used to measure the CVD risk factor parameters. After adjusted for age and gender, CVD risk factors including elevated uric acid (P = 0.01), total cholesterol (Total-C, P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, P < 0.001), fasting triglyceride (Fasting TG, P < 0.001), decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, P = 0.04), and presence of hepatic steatosis (P = 0.008) were significantly associated with asymptomatic MGD. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that LDL-C (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.04) and Fasting TG (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00–1.01) levels were risk factors for having asymptomatic MGD (P < 0.001). Together, the results suggest that asymptomatic MGD may serve as an indicator for CVD.

Highlights

P value well known that the above cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors[16,17,18,19] as well as MGD11–14 are related to lipid and glucose metabolism, it remains unknown whether meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is correlated with CVD risk factors
Having early prevention of CVD in mind, and that asymptomatic MGD is more common than symptomatic MGD20, current study aimed to identify the correlation between asymptomatic MGD and CVD risk factors in a middle-aged population using the screening profiles obtained during the participants’ voluntary physical examinations and laboratory investigations
There were no significant differences in terms of waist circumference (WC), BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), all participants. Fasting glucose (AC), postprandial glucose (PC), hs-CRP, age, sex, and the presence of metabolic syndrome between these two groups with or without asymptomatic MGD

Summary

Introduction

P value well known that the above CVD risk factors[16,17,18,19] as well as MGD11–14 are related to lipid and glucose metabolism, it remains unknown whether MGD is correlated with CVD risk factors. One can never overemphasize the importance of early detection of CVD, which is one of the most common cause of death and greatly impacts the lives of middle-aged population and their families. Having early prevention of CVD in mind, and that asymptomatic MGD is more common than symptomatic MGD20, current study aimed to identify the correlation between asymptomatic MGD and CVD risk factors in a middle-aged population using the screening profiles obtained during the participants’ voluntary physical examinations and laboratory investigations

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion