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Purpose To identify the characteristics of asymptomatic meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), symptomatic MGD, and MGD coexisting with dry eye disease (DED). Methods This cross sectional study enrolled a total of 153 eyes of 87 MGD patients. Participants filled in ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaires. Age, gender, Schirmer’s test, meibomian gland (MG) related parameters, lipid layer thickness (LLT) and blinking were compared among patients with asymptomatic MGD, symptomatic MGD, and MGD with DED. Multivariate regression was used to analyze the significant factor of DED in MGD. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association between the significant factors and MG function. Results There was no difference in age, Schirmer’s test, lid changes, MG secretion, and MG morphology among three groups. The OSDI of asymptomatic MGD, symptomatic MGD and MGD coexisting with DED were 8.5 ± 2.9, 28.5 ± 12.8 and 27.9 ± 10.5, respectively. Patients with MGD coexisting with DED exhibited more frequent eye blinking than that of patients with asymptomatic MGD (8.1 ± 4.1 vs. 6.1 ± 3.5 blinks/20 sec, P = 0.022), and reduced LLT than that of patients with asymptomatic MGD (68.6 ± 17.2 vs. 77.6 ± 14.5 nm, P = 0.010) and symptomatic MGD (78.0 ± 17.1 nm, P = 0.015). Multivariate analysis identified LLT (per nm, OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93—0.99, P = 0.002) as a significant factor associated with DED development in MGD. The number of expressible MG was positively correlated with LLT (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.299, P = 0.016) but negatively correlated with the number of blinking (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = -0.298, P = 0.016) in MGD patients with DED, and these findings were not identified in those without DED. Conclusions Asymptomatic MGD, symptomatic MGD, and MGD coexisting with DED share similar characteristics, including meibum secretion and morphology, but MGD patients coexisting with DED exhibited significantly reduced LLT.

Aims Chronic inflammation is linked to cancer. This study aims to evaluate the association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) through a Taiwanese nationwide database. Methods We used the National Health Insurance Research Database between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2012. The starting date is either the date of the first clinical visit or the diagnosis of CRS. Patients were followed up until the first occurrence of target disease or the last date of medical record. Propensity score 1 to 2 matching was used to match pairs of patients with/without CRS. Results A total of 951 380 eligible patients were included in our study, with 36 210 patients diagnosed with CRS. After 1 to 2 propensity score matching, non-CRS cohort consisted of 69 258 patients and CRS cohort consisted of 34 629 patients. CRS was associated with the risk of developing NPC (adjusted OR = 2.23; 95% CI, 1.61-3.09). However, no significant association among CRS and NPC was observed in patients followed up for more than 1 year (adjusted OR = 1.16; 95% CI, 0.76-1.78). Conclusions Patients with CRS diagnosis have relationship with developing NPC within 1 year of follow-up, but not for longer intervals. The short-term association may be due to reversed causation or biased diagnosis. Accordingly, the study suggests CRS a weak role for NPC.

Backgroud/AimOcular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is often primarily recognised by ophthalmologists rather than internists. This study aims to investigate the incidence and risk factors for the occurrence of posterior ocular ischaemic events (OIE), including retinal vein occlusion (RVO), retinal artery occlusion (RAO) and ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION), in patients with SLE.MethodsA national database in Taiwan was used to identify 24 472 patients newly diagnosed with SLE and 244 720 age-matched and sex-matched controls between 1997 and 2012. New occurrences of OIE and confounding factors were recorded. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the risk of OIE between the two groups. Fixed effect models were applied to evaluate the risk factors for OIE.ResultsThe mean age was 36.24±15.82 years and women accounted for 88.4%. Patients with SLE had significantly increased risk of overall OIE (HR 3.89, 95% CI 3.36 to 4.50, pConclusionsSLE increases the risk of developing OIE. Systemic comorbidities and higher dosage of steroid in patients with SLE are associated with severe ocular ischaemic complications.

Titration of evidence-based medications, important for treating heart failure (HF), is often underdosed by symptom-guided treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate, using echocardiographic parameters, stroke volume and left ventricular (LV) filling pressure to guide up-titration of medications, increasing prognostic benefits.A total of 765 patients with chronic HF and severely reduced LV ejection fractions (35%), referred from 2008 to 2016, were prospectively studied. Echocardiographic guidance was performed in 149 patients. LV filling pressure was assessed by left atrial expansion index, and stroke volume was estimated from diameter and time-velocity integral in the LV outflow tract. Up-titration of evidence-based medications and adjustment for side effects or worsening clinical conditions according to those parameters were performed. Propensity score matching was used to match pairs of patients with (n = 110) or without (n = 110) echocardiographic guidance. End points were 4-year frequencies of HF hospitalization and all-cause mortality.During a mean follow-up time of 4.1 years, rates of adverse events were 58 (52.7%) with no echocardiographic guidance and 36 (32.7%) with echocardiographic guidance (P .0001). Echocardiography provided effective guidance to reduce prescribing frequency and dose of diuretics and to promote evidence-based medication prescription. It reduced HF rehospitalization and all-cause mortality. By multivariate analysis, prognostic improvement was associated with up-titration of medications with echocardiographic guidance.There was a statistically significant difference in long-term prognosis between propensity score-matched pairs of patients with chronic severe HF with and without echocardiographic guidance. These findings need further validation in large prospective clinical trials.