Table 4 Differences in demographics and clinical parameters of dry eye disease (DED) between subjects with and without ocular Demodex infestation in subgroup 1.

No. of subjects

29

15

–

Number of Demodex mites

(per 4 eyelashes in a unilateral eye)

0

1.73 \(\pm\) 0.80

–

Demographics

 Age (yrs)^a

29.8 \(\pm\) 6.6

33.9 \(\pm\) 4.1

0.060

 Male/female (% female)^b

18/11 (37.9%)

5/10 (66.7%)

0.070

Clinical parameters

 OSDI (score)^a

44.7 \(\pm\) 19.4

32.2 \(\pm\) 17.0

0.187

 Tear MMP-9 (Gr)^a

1.96 \(\pm\) 1.08

2.00 \(\pm\) 1.18

1.000

 Tear osmolarity (mOsm/L)^a

317.6 \(\pm\) 23.4

329.0 \(\pm\) 25.1

0.400

 Corneal erosions score^a

1.60 \(\pm\) 2.37

1.25 \(\pm\) 1.60

0.769

 SICCA OSS^a

2.38 \(\pm\) 3.29

4.50 \(\pm\) 1.73

0.200

 Tear BUT (s)^a

5.69 \(\pm\) 1.84

7.10 \(\pm\) 2.47

0.139

 Schirmer I without anesthesia (mm)^a

18.52 \(\pm\) 11.44

17.09 \(\pm\) 4.44

0.978

 MG expressibility (Gr)^a

1.44 \(\pm\) 0.58

1.67 \(\pm\) 0.62

0.294

 Meibum quality (Gr)^a

0.96 \(\pm\) 0.86

2.00 \(\pm\) 0.71

0.001*