The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children

Abstract Aim To explore the factors causing structural abnormalities of meibomian gland in the pediatric population. Methods Two-hundred children were enrolled to evaluate the morphology of meibomian gland. Demographic and clinical information were collected. Symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) were a...

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Main Authors: Zhen Xu, Lulu Bao, Xiaomin Wang, Haihang Ying, Jianbo Mao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Ophthalmology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04086-9
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author Zhen Xu
Lulu Bao
Xiaomin Wang
Haihang Ying
Jianbo Mao
author_facet Zhen Xu
Lulu Bao
Xiaomin Wang
Haihang Ying
Jianbo Mao
author_sort Zhen Xu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Aim To explore the factors causing structural abnormalities of meibomian gland in the pediatric population. Methods Two-hundred children were enrolled to evaluate the morphology of meibomian gland. Demographic and clinical information were collected. Symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) were assessed with the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire. Meibography was performed and grading of images was performed by a 5-point meiboscale (0–4) for gland atrophy and a 3-point score (0–2) for gland tortuosity. Results 200 eyes of 200 participants aged 10–18 years (13.10 ± 2.39 years) were imaged. Most patients had a score of 1, 130 (65%) in meiboscore and 138 (69%) in gland tortuosity. The meiboscore showed significant difference with the increase of weight, BUT and BMI percentile ranking. The gland tortuosity showed significant difference with the increase of age, and BMI percentile ranking. Besides, shorter BUT corresponds to larger percentage of meibomian gland atrophy and higher OSDI score. Gender had no significant effect on gland dysfunction. The gland meiboscore was significantly correlated with weight, OSDI score, BUT, BMI percentile and BMI percentile ranking. And the gland tortuosity was significantly correlated with weight, BMI percentile and OSDI score. Conclusion In this pediatric population, the meiboscore become higher with the increase of weight, BMI percentile, OSDI and the decrease of BUT, and gland tortuosity became more serious with the increase of age and BMI percentile. Therefore, clinicians should be aware that being overweight is a risk factor for changes in meibomian gland structure.
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spelling doaj-art-90373cf0d71a457f8ea4b06ddea2a0c92025-08-20T03:53:58ZengBMCBMC Ophthalmology1471-24152025-05-012511710.1186/s12886-025-04086-9The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese childrenZhen Xu0Lulu Bao1Xiaomin Wang2Haihang Ying3Jianbo Mao4Yongkang HospitalYongkang HospitalYongkang HospitalYongkang HospitalZhejiang Provincial People’s HospitalAbstract Aim To explore the factors causing structural abnormalities of meibomian gland in the pediatric population. Methods Two-hundred children were enrolled to evaluate the morphology of meibomian gland. Demographic and clinical information were collected. Symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) were assessed with the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire. Meibography was performed and grading of images was performed by a 5-point meiboscale (0–4) for gland atrophy and a 3-point score (0–2) for gland tortuosity. Results 200 eyes of 200 participants aged 10–18 years (13.10 ± 2.39 years) were imaged. Most patients had a score of 1, 130 (65%) in meiboscore and 138 (69%) in gland tortuosity. The meiboscore showed significant difference with the increase of weight, BUT and BMI percentile ranking. The gland tortuosity showed significant difference with the increase of age, and BMI percentile ranking. Besides, shorter BUT corresponds to larger percentage of meibomian gland atrophy and higher OSDI score. Gender had no significant effect on gland dysfunction. The gland meiboscore was significantly correlated with weight, OSDI score, BUT, BMI percentile and BMI percentile ranking. And the gland tortuosity was significantly correlated with weight, BMI percentile and OSDI score. Conclusion In this pediatric population, the meiboscore become higher with the increase of weight, BMI percentile, OSDI and the decrease of BUT, and gland tortuosity became more serious with the increase of age and BMI percentile. Therefore, clinicians should be aware that being overweight is a risk factor for changes in meibomian gland structure.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04086-9MeiboscaleGland tortuosityBody mass index percentileChildren
spellingShingle Zhen Xu
Lulu Bao
Xiaomin Wang
Haihang Ying
Jianbo Mao
The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children
BMC Ophthalmology
Meiboscale
Gland tortuosity
Body mass index percentile
Children
title The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children
title_full The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children
title_fullStr The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children
title_full_unstemmed The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children
title_short The role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in Chinese children
title_sort role of childhood overweight in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease in chinese children
topic Meiboscale
Gland tortuosity
Body mass index percentile
Children
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04086-9
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