Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Pterygia in a Rural Northern Chinese Population. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Zhijian; Wu, Shubin; Mai, Jieying; Xu, Keke; Sun, Ying; Song, Zhen; Jin, Di; Wang, Haijing; Liu, Ping
• Is Part Of: Ophthalmic epidemiology. Volume 21:Number 6(2014)
• Page Start: 378
• Page End: 383
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Blindness -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Eye -- Diseases -- Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 614.5997
• DOI: 10.3109/09286586.2014.967359
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0928-6586

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Purpose</italic>: To determine the prevalence of and associated risk factors for pterygia development in a high-latitude-dwelling Northern Chinese population.</p> <p> <italic>Methods</italic>: A prospective population-based survey was conducted between November 2008 and July 2009. A stratified, clustered, randomized sampling procedure was used to select 8445 subjects, aged ≥18 years, all with diagnosed, graded pterygia. Risk factors associated with the occurrence of pterygia were evaluated according to logistic regression models.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: A total of 8445 residents (aged 18–94 years) from the Heilongjiang Province, China, participated in the study. Of these, 208 (2.5%) had at least one diagnosed pterygium. The prevalence of bilateral pterygia was 1.2% (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.0–1.4%). According to multivariable analysis, pterygia were significantly more likely to occur in persons aged 70–94 years than in those aged 18–39 years (odds ratio, OR, 29.0, 95% CI 13.6–61.6, <italic>p</italic> < 0.01). Pterygia were significantly associated with male sex (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4–2.6, <italic>p</italic> < 0.01) and outdoor work (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.6, <italic>p</italic> < 0.01). Multivariable analysis indicated that pterygia were not associated with smoking status (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8–1.4) or alcohol intake (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7–1.4, <italic>p </italic>> 0.05).</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions</italic>: This study details the occurrence of and risk factors for pterygia in a Chinese population residing in a rural, high-latitude, cold-climate area of Northern China. The primary risk factors for pterygia were age, male sex, and outdoor work.</p> </abstract>