10 December 2017 : Clinical Research
A Clinical Scoring System for Diagnosis of Ocular Demodicosis
Oktay Alver1ABEF, Sertaç Argun Kıvanç2ABCDEF, Berna Akova Budak2ABDEF*, Nazmiye Ülkü Tüzemen1BE, Beyza Ener1EF, Ahmet Tuncer Özmen2EFDOI: 10.12659/MSM.907824
Med Sci Monit 2017; 23:5862-5869
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Demodex may cause chronic and refractory blepharitis with associated ocular surface problems, and its diagnosis and treatment can be quite challenging. In this study, our aim was to assess the efficacy of tea tree oil in Demodex treatment on caucasian patients in an industrialized region of Turkey, and to develop a systematic scoring system for extremely accurate diagnosis in the absence of advanced facilities.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Charts of 412 patients with blepharitis were reviewed. A group of 39 out of 412 cases were identified as chronic and treatment-refractory, and therefore were enrolled in this study. Eyelashes from each of the lower and upper eyelids of both eyes were evaluated at ×40 and ×100 magnification using light microscopy. Treatment was started with 4% tea tree oil eyelid gel and 10% eyelash shampoo. Symptoms and findings were scored according to the most common complaints.
RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54.1±15.4 years. Seventeen (43.5%) patients were male and 22 (56.5%) patients were female. In 30 out of the 39 patients (76.9%) D. folliculorum was detected. Symptoms disappeared in 25 patients. The mean score of patients who were Demodex-negative was 2.7±1.0, and the mean score of patients who were Demodex-positive was 3.8±1.6 (p=0.047). Ninety-four percent of those with a score of 4 and over were found to be Demodex-positive (p=0.025).
CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with tea tree oil can be successful. If there is no facility to identify Demodex under light microscopy, we recommend starting treatment for patients who have scores of 4 and over using the scoring chart developed in this study.
Keywords: Dry Eye Syndromes, Keratitis, Mite Infestations, Tea Tree Oil, score, ocular surface
Editorial
01 April 2024 : Editorial
Editorial: Forty Years of Waiting for Prevention and Cure of HIV Infection – Ongoing Challenges and Hopes for Vaccine Development and Overcoming Antiretroviral Drug ResistanceDOI: 10.12659/MSM.944600
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e944600
In Press
05 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Role of Critical Shoulder Angle in Degenerative Type Rotator Cuff Tears: A Turkish Cohort StudyMed Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943703
06 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Comparison of Outcomes between Single-Level and Double-Level Corpectomy in Thoracolumbar Reconstruction: A ...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943797
21 Mar 2024 : Meta-Analysis
Economic Evaluation of COVID-19 Screening Tests and Surveillance Strategies in Low-Income, Middle-Income, a...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943863
10 Apr 2024 : Clinical Research
Predicting Acute Cardiovascular Complications in COVID-19: Insights from a Specialized Cardiac Referral Dep...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.942612
Most Viewed Current Articles
17 Jan 2024 : Review article
Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Women: Addressing COVID-19 and the Omicron VariantDOI :10.12659/MSM.942799
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e942799
14 Dec 2022 : Clinical Research
Prevalence and Variability of Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E in Patients with Elevated Tryptase LevelsDOI :10.12659/MSM.937990
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937990
16 May 2023 : Clinical Research
Electrophysiological Testing for an Auditory Processing Disorder and Reading Performance in 54 School Stude...DOI :10.12659/MSM.940387
Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940387
01 Jan 2022 : Editorial
Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952