The role of inflammatory periocular, ocular surface and systemic diseases in involutional ectropion

This study investigated the association between involutional ectropion and chronic inflammatory diseases of the eyelid and ocular surface, and other systemic diseases.

This case-control study was conducted using electronic medical records from Clalit Health Services in Israel, 2001–2022. Patients diagnosed with involutional ectropion were compared to two control groups: one with senile cataracts and another with other ophthalmic diseases. The groups were matched 1:3 by birth year, sex, and ethnicity. Mixed models were used to assess differences in demographics, periocular, ocular, and systemic diseases between the groups. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and adjust for confounders.

A total of 1786 patients with involutional ectropion and 5358 matched individuals in each control group were included. The average age of the patients with involutional ectropion was 77 ± 10 years, and 60% were men. Significant associations were found between involutional ectropion and several inflammatory diseases: blepharitis (OR 4.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.68–4.91), chalazion (OR 3.01, 95% CI: 2.3–3.94), hordeolum (OR 2.27, 95% CI: 1.8–2.86), dermatitis of the eyelid (OR 1.69, 95% CI: 1.16–2.47), chronic conjunctivitis (OR 3.49, 95% CI: 2.86–4.26), pterygium (OR 2.21, 95% CI: 1.71–2.86), hypertension (OR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.31–1.72), dyslipidaemia (OR 1.46, 95% CI: 1.3–1.64), and rheumatic disease (OR 1.9, 95% CI: 1.5–2.4).

Periocular, ocular surface, and systemic inflammatory diseases are independent risk factors for involutional ectropion. Further research is necessary to fully understand these associations.