title: Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Cranial Nerve VII Palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine clinical findings on meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in patients with unilateral cranial nerve VII (CN VII) palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective observational study included 35 patients with unilateral CN VII palsy. The following features were compared between the affected and the unaffected sides: incidence of eyelid abnormalities (irregular eyelid margin, vascular engorgement, and plugged meibomian gland orifices), Marx line score, meibom expression score, area and density scores for corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer test I (without topical anesthesia), and tear break-up time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The affected side demonstrated significantly higher incidences of vascular engorgement (p = 0.004) and plugged meibomian gland orifices (p < 0.001) than the unaffected side. The incidence of an irregular eyelid margin was similar for both sides (p = 0.168). The scores for the Marx line (p < 0.001), meibom expression (p < 0.001), area (p = 0.034), and density (p = 0.026) were significantly higher for the affected side than for the unaffected side. The affected side showed a significantly higher Schirmer value than the unaffected side (p = 0.030). Tear break-up time was significantly shorter on the affected side than on the unaffected side (p = 0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MGD was more markedly demonstrated on the affected side in patients with unilateral CN VII palsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kakizaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008537:Meibomian Glands / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors