title: Meibography and meibomian gland measurements in ocular graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Meibomian gland loss in ocular GvHD was described as a mechanism contributing to dry eye and severe damage to the ocular surface. Infrared images of upper eyelid meibomian glands from 86 ocular GvHD patients, from 10 patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (aSCT) without ocular GvHD, from 32 patients prior to aSCT and from 30 healthy controls were analyzed retrospectively and evaluated using two grading schemes. The upper meibomian gland area (uMGA) was calculated and set in relation to the total tarsal area of the lid. Results demonstrate that meibomian gland loss is significantly increased in patients with ocular GvHD as well as in patients prior to aSCT in comparison with controls (P between 0.05 and <0.001). Patients after aSCT without ocular GvHD had no significant difference in uMGA in comparison with controls. This study suggests that meibomian gland loss in GvHD patients is likely to be a multifactorial process that also occurs prior to aSCT, possibly due to underlying diseases and/or secondary to chemotherapy or irradiation. In addition, the question has to be addressed whether meibomian gland loss could serve as a predictor for the development of ocular GvHD. Overall, infrared meibography should be included in routine examination of patients undergoing aSCT and during follow-up.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Ocular GvHD Competence Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Ocular GvHD Competence Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wittig
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] CORIC (Cologne Ophthalmological Reading and Image Analysis Center), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Excellence Cluster: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sauerbier
authors.affiliation: 1] Ocular GvHD Competence Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheid
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Holtick
authors.affiliation: Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chemnitz
authors.affiliation: 1] Ocular GvHD Competence Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Excellence Cluster: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [3] Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallek
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Ocular GvHD Competence Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [3] CORIC (Cologne Ophthalmological Reading and Image Analysis Center), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cursiefen
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [2] Ocular GvHD Competence Center, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany [3] Excellence Cluster: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steven
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008537:Meibomian Glands / Q000254:growth & development*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult