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Singapore Malay Eye Study finds high prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction
More than half of Malay people in the Singapore Malay Eye Study presented with meibomian gland dysfunction.
“The prevalence of MGD in this study is consistent with other Asian studies, which reported rates ranging from 60.8% to 68.3%, compared with 3.5% among whites,” the study authors said. “However, caution should be exercised when comparing epidemiological studies because we have yet to achieve a consensus on a universally accepted definition of MGD.”
This portion of the population-based, cross-sectional study involved 3,271 Malay subjects between 40 and 80 years old. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) was defined as lid margin telangiectasia or meibomian gland orifice plugging.
The prevalence of MGD in this population was 56.3%. Subjects who used angiotensin II receptor blockers had a higher prevalence of MGD (odds ratio: 4.02), as did those with pinguecula (odds ratio: 2.43), postmenopausal women (odds ratio: 1.64), those with high diastolic blood pressure (odds ratio: 1.32) and men (odds ratio: 1.30).
The authors noted this type of study is only able to uncover association, not proof of causation.