In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in Blepharitis Patients with Ocular Demodex Infestation
Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, cilt.30, sa.6, ss.1378-1383, 2022 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 30 Sayı: 6
- Basım Tarihi: 2022
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09273948.2021.1875006
- Dergi Adı: Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1378-1383
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Confocal microscopy, Demodex, dendritic cell density, seborrheic blepharitis, sub-basal nerve plexus
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Purpose: To compare corneal in-vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) findings in patients with seborrheic blepharitis with healthy controls and to evaluate the correlation with the Demodex load. Methods: Sixty-two Demodex positive seborrheic blepharitis patients and 24 controls were included. Four eyelashes from each eye were examined. The median value of Demodex count (5 mites/eye) was assigned as the cutoff value to create low and high Demodex infestation subgroups. Corneal nerve parameters (fiber length;CNFL, fiber density;CNFD, branch length;CNBL, branch density;CNBD) and dendritic cell density (DCD) were analyzed by IVCM for all participants. Results: The mean DCD of eyes in low (37.62 ± 25.18 cells/mm2) and high (76.00 ± 44.00 cells/mm2) Demodex load groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (14.25 ± 2.68 cells/mm2) (p < .001). CNFL, CNFD, CNBL and CNBD were significantly lower in low and high Demodex groups compared to controls (p < .001). Conclusions: Demodex positive seborrheic blepharitis patients showed significantly reduced density of corneal nerves and elevated DCD levels.