Evaluation of the ocular surface characteristics and Demodex infestation in paediatric and adult blepharokeratoconjunctivitis

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the ocular surface characteristics and the infestation of Demodex in Chinese paediatric and adult blepharokeratoconjunctivitis (BKC). METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with BKC and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled. Lid margin characteristics and corneal disorders were evaluated under slit-lamp illumination. Four eyelashes were collected from each eye to examine Demodex infestation by light microscopy. RESULTS: Corneal neovascularization (P = 0.001) and scarring (P = 0.040) were significantly worse in children than in adults with BKC, whereas meibum quality was worse in adults (P = 0.008). Diagnosis delay was longer in children with BKC than in adults (2.2 vs 1.2 years, P = 0.022). Demodex infestation was more frequent in subjects with BKC than in healthy subjects (56% vs 26%, P = 0.002). The lid margin inflammation and meibomian gland dysfunction were worse in Demodex-positive subjects than in Demodex-negative subjects with BKC. CONCLUSIONS: Children with BKC had severer corneal disorders compared with adult BKC patients, which may be caused by a long-delayed diagnosis. Ocular demodicosis was more common in subjects with BKC. Ocular Demodex infestation was associated with worse lid margin inflammation and meibomian gland dysfunction. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12886-019-1074-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.