Abstract
Purpose: :
We previously proposed the clinical entity of meibomitis-related keratoconjunctivitis (MRKC) which was characterized by corneal subepithelial cellular infiltrates and superficial vascularization associated with meibomitis caused by Propionibacterium acnes. Conversely, both phlyctenular keratitis (PK) and ocular rosacea (OR) in childhood, have similar ocular manifestations to MRKC. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical similarities of MRKC, PK and OR in childhood cases.
Methods: :
We retrospectively evaluated the patients’ gender, past history of chalazia, and ocular manifestations including the severities of meibomitis and corneal infiltrates with superficial vascularization in 38 cases of MRKC seen at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine. These data were compared with 26 cases of PK and 74 childhood cases of OR reported in the last 30 years in international peer-review journals.
Results: :
Females were significantly dominant in MRKC (85%), PK (64%) and OR (75%). The history of chalazia is distinctive in MRKC (82%), PK (54%) and OR (69%). MRKC, PK and OR shared all the ocular pathological manifestations including corneal infiltrates and superficial vascularization associated with meibomitis. For all diseases, the treatment with systemic antimicrobial agents was shown to be highly effective.
Conclusions: :
The findings of this study show that MRKC shares a similar clinical entity with PK and OR in childhood. This might be a meaningful in terms of understanding the pathogenesis of sustained ocular surface inflammation in childhood.
Keywords: cornea: clinical science • inflammation • pathology: human