Comparable meibomian gland changes in patients with and without ocular graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

To compare the presentation and severity of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in patients with and without chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (coGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). This prospective cross-sectional study included 79 patients (47 with coGVHD and 32 without) after allo-HSCT. All participants completed ocular surface disease index questionnaire, and received slit lamp, ocular surface interferometer, meibography and confocal microscopy examination. The prevalence and severity of MGD were compared between two groups and related factors were analyzed. Main outcome measures were lipid layer thickness (LLT) and meiboscore. Similarly high prevalence of MGD was detected in coGVHD and non-coGVHD groups (87.2% vs 84.4%, P = 0.977). Among those with MGD, although patients without coGVHD had longer noninvasive break-up time [5.54 (2.87, 9.37) vs 2.29 (0.00, 3.82) s, P < 0.001], patients in two groups presented similarly decreased LLT (53.5 ± 22.3 vs 47.1 ± 25.2 nm, P = 0.286), increased meiboscore (2.7 ± 1.5 vs 3.5 ± 1.8, P = 0.060) and enlarged acinar unit area (1647.7 ± 942.9 vs 1808.8 ± 1211.5 μm2, P = 0.592). Meibomian gland inflammation and fibrosis were observed in both groups, but more predominant in coGVHD group. Results were consistent when patients within a comparable post-HSCT time interval were compared. Regression analysis revealed neither LLT nor meiboscore was associated with coGVHD severity. LLT was positively correlated with systemic immunosuppressant use (β = 12.0, P = 0.044), while meiboscore was positively correlated with lymphoma (β = 1.78, P = 0.040) and matched unrelated donor (β = 1.59,P = 0.008). MGD was common and evident in patients after allo-HSCT. MGD is not different between coGVHD and non-coGVHD patients except more inflammation and fibrosis in the former.