Analysis of Cytokine Levels in Meibum and Clinical Correlations with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Figure 1

Correlation between ocular surface parameters and meibum inflammatory cytokines. (a) MGE score. The level of MIG (, ), IL-8 (, ), and IP-10 (, ) is positively correlated with the MGE score. No significant correlations were found between MGE and other inflammatory cytokines (all ). (b) MQ score. The level of MIG (, ), IFN-γ (, ), IL-8 (r = 0.444, ), and IP-10 (, ) is positively correlated with the MQ score. No significant correlations were found between MQ and MCP-1 (). (c) Lid margin score. The level of MIG (, ), IP-10 (, ), and MCP-1 (, ) is positively correlated with the lid margin score. No significant correlations were found between lid margin and other inflammatory cytokines (all ). (d) Meibograde score. The level of MIG (, ), IFN-γ (, ), and MCP-1 (, ) is positively correlated with the meibograde score. No significant correlations were found between meibograde score and other inflammatory cytokines (all ). (e) NIKBUT. The level of MIG (, ), IL-8 (, ), and MCP-1 (, ) is negatively correlated with the NIKBUT. No significant correlations were found between NIKBUT and other inflammatory cytokine (all ). (f) FBUT. The level of MIG (, ), IFN-γ (, ), IL-8 (r = -0.421, ), IP-10 (, ), and MCP-1 (, ) is negatively correlated with the FBUT. (g) LLT. The level of MIG (, ), IFN-γ (, ), and MCP-1 (, ) is negatively correlated with the LLT. No significant correlations were found between LLT and other inflammatory cytokines (all ). (h) CFS score. No significant correlations were found between CFS scores and each inflammatory cytokine (all ). (i) OSDI score. The level of MIG (, ), IFN-γ (, ), and IL-8 (, ) is positively correlated with the OSDI. No significant correlations were found between OSDI and other inflammatory cytokines (all ). (j) TMH. The level of MIG (, ) is positively correlated with the TMH. No significant correlations were found between TMH and other inflammatory cytokines (all ). (k) SIT. No significant correlations were found between SIT and each inflammatory cytokine (all ). Significant differences between the correlations with meibum inflammatory cytokines and ocular surface parameters. The bold values mean significant results. , , .

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