Maximum meibum quality score appears to be a reliable clinical trial endpoints for DED treatment
The maximum meibum quality score (MMQS) is a reliable indicator of MGD severity and overall ocular discomfort correlates strongly with typical dry eye symptoms, suggesting that overall ocular discomfort could potentially serve as a single measure for assessing MGD symptoms.
In this noninterventional clinical study, 75 participants were divided into 3 distinct cohorts (25 participants per cohort) with varying levels of MGD severity: no MGD, mild/moderate MGD, and severe MGD.
The MMQS scores displayed a direct correlation with the severity of MGD, effectively mirroring the selection criteria for the cohorts. The consistency of these scores between visits was demonstrated by a weighted kappa statistic of 0.72, indicating substantial agreement.
The study found that the mean scores for all assessed symptoms consistently increased with escalating MGD severity. Scores for these symptoms displayed moderate (κ = 0.41-0.60) to substantial (κ = 0.61-0.80) agreement between visits.
The researchers found that overall ocular discomfort showed the most robust correlation with the MMQS.
Reference
Ajouz L, Nguyen A, Zhao C, et al. Exploring Signs and Symptoms Associated with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction for Use as Clinical Trial Endpoints. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2023;doi: 10.1089/jop.2023.0064. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37643299.
