Table 3.
Baseline patient characteristics
| Characteristic | Placebo (group A; n = 31) | Omega-3 (group B; n = 33) |
|---|---|---|
| Sex | ||
| Male, n (%) | 9 (29.03) | 9 (27.2) |
| Female, n (%) | 22 (70.97) | 24 (72.8) |
| Age in years, mean | 54 | 58 |
| Signs | ||
| Lid margin inflammation severity, n (%) | ||
| No injection | 9 (29.03) | 10 (30.3) |
| Injection | 22 (70.97) | 23 (69.7) |
| Meibomian gland secretion, n (%) | ||
| Clear fluid | 1 (3.22) | 4 (12.12) |
| Cloudy fluid | 21 (67.74) | 20 (60.60) |
| Cloudy particulate fluid | 6 (19.35) | 8 (24.24) |
| Inspissated, like toothpaste | 3 (9.68) | 1 (3.03) |
| No secretion | 0 | 0 |
| Mean TBUT (SD), s | 6.45 (2.57) | 6.94 (2.75) |
| Mean Schirmer I (SD), mm | 16.61 (7.57) | 18.94 (7.47) |
| Cornea staining data. Oxford test, n (%) | ||
| Grade 0 | 23 (74.2) | 22 (66.7) |
| Grade I | 5 (16.1) | 11 (33.3) |
| Grade II to IV | 3 (9.7) | 0 (0) |
| Symptoms | ||
| OSDI© | ||
| Normal | 2 | 0 |
| Mild | 7 | 4 |
| Moderate | 12 | 17 |
| Severe | 10 | 12 |
Abbreviations: OSDI©, Ocular Surface Disease Index; SD, standard deviation; TBUT, tear breakup time; s, seconds.