Meibomian Gland Dropout in Hematological Patients Before Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

To perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of meibomian gland (MG) dropout in hematological patients before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to correlate it with both ocular surface and hematological characteristics.

This prospective study included 46 consecutive patients undergoing HSCT and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Noninvasive meibography of the lower eyelid, meiboscore (Pult scale), Schirmer test type I, tear film breakup time, and corneal and conjunctival staining were measured. Subjective symptoms were scored by the Ocular Surface Disease Index. The dry eye diagnosis was ascertained according to TFOS DEWS II Criteria. Hematological data included diagnosis (acute leukemias vs. other malignancies), stage of the disease, time from diagnosis to ophthalmological examination, and previous therapy (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or autograft).

Hematological patients presented a significantly lower tear film breakup time and a higher meiboscore compared with controls (respectively 4.8 ± 3.0 seconds vs. 11.0 ± 3.0 and 2.0 ± 1.1 vs. 0.9 ± 0.4; P < 0.001). Conversely, other parameters did not differ between both groups. Dry eye was diagnosed in 14 out 46 hematological patients (30.4%). MG loss was significantly higher in hematological patients than in controls (29.8% ± 15.0% vs. 21.2 ± 13.0; P = 0.007) and was higher in the nasal third compared with both central and temporal thirds (respectively, 39.8% ± 21.4% vs. 18.5 ± 15.6 and 25.1 ± 18.3; P < 0.0001). The diagnosis of acute leukemia (β = 0.449; P = 0.003) and the history of previous chemotherapy (β = 0.444; P = 0.003) were associated with lower MG loss.

Hematological patients presented significantly reduced MG areas even before HSCT, particularly those affected by nonacute malignancies. The topographical pattern of MG dropout resembles that of conventional dry eye.