ArticleAmerican journal of translational research2025
Combined meibomian gland massage and acupuncture enhances tear film and ocular surface health in meibomian gland dysfunction.
Article in American journal of translational research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
objectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of meibomian gland massage combined with pressing acupuncture in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and to compare outcomes with massage alone.
methodsA retrospective analysis was performed on 220 MGD patients (440 eyes) treated at Xi'an Aier Eye Hospital between August 2021 and August 2023. Patients were assigned to two groups: the Massage Group (n = 119), which received standard meibomian gland massage, and the Acupuncture Group (n = 101), which received massage plus pressing acupuncture. Clinical outcomes included Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT), Schirmer Test (SIT), corneal fluorescein staining, meibomian gland expressibility and dropout scores, subjective symptom scores, Meibomian Gland Yields and Secretion Score (MGYSS), Eyelid Margin Abnormality Score (EMAS), overall efficacy, and adverse reactions.
resultsBoth groups showed improved tear function, but the Acupuncture Group demonstrated superior post-treatment outcomes, including SIT (P = 0.036), TBUT (P = 0.023), expressibility (P = 0.038), dropout scores (P = 0.009), subjective symptom scores (P = 0.004), MGYSS (P = 0.019), EMAS (P = 0.003), and total clinical effectiveness rate (P < 0.001). Corneal staining also improved more significantly in the Acupuncture Group (P = 0.013). The incidence of adverse reactions was comparable between groups.
conclusionsMeibomian gland massage combined with pressing acupuncture provides significantly greater improvements in tear film stability, glandular function, and ocular surface health compared with massage alone, without increasing adverse reactions.
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