Lipidomic Insights: Exploring the Relationship between Lipid Profiles and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) is a chronic and widespread abnormality of the meibomian glands that leads to terminal duct obstruction and impaired glandular secretion. It is influenced by various factors, including age, sex, hormonal imbalances, body lipid profile, and topical medications. To investigate the correlation between serum lipid profiles and MGD severity, we conducted a prospective study at Government Medical College & Hospital, Rajouri.

Our study involved 200 patients, with a significant proportion aged 40–50 years and a notable female predominance (p<0.03). Most patients (40.5%) exhibited grade 2 MGD severity. However, severity showed a positive correlation with age, with individuals over 50 displaying a higher prevalence of grade 3 and 4 stages.

Among the 200 patients, 140 had triglyceride (TG) levels above 150 mg/dl, of which 86.66% presented with grade 4 MGD (p=0.03). Additionally, 120 patients showed cholesterol (CH) levels exceeding 200 mg/dl; of these, 80% had grade 4 and 74.07% had grade 3 MGD severity (p=0.02). Furthermore, among patients with HDL levels below 40 mg/dl, 93.33% had grade 4 MGD.

In conclusion, our findings highlight a strong positive correlation between MGD severity and advancing age, female gender, and elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels.