Pterygium in Indonesia: prevalence, severity and risk factors
Open Access
- 1 December 2002
- journal article
- world views
- Published by BMJ in British Journal of Ophthalmology
- Vol. 86 (12), 1341-1346
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.86.12.1341
Abstract
Aim: To determine prevalence rates, severity, and risk factors for pterygium in adults in provincial Indonesia and to validate a clinical grading scheme in a population based setting. Methods: A population based prevalence survey of 1210 adults aged 21 years and above was conducted in five rural villages and one provincial town in Riau province, Sumatra, Indonesia, an area near to the equator. A one stage household cluster sampling procedure was employed: 100 households were randomly selected from each village or town. Pterygia were graded for severity (T1 to T3, by visibility of episcleral vessels) and the basal and apical extent measured by an ophthalmologist (GG) with a hand held slit lamp. Refraction was measured by hand held autorefractor (Retinomax). Face to face household interviews assessed outdoor activity, occupation, and smoking. The participation rate was 96.7%. Results: The mean age was 36.6 years (SD 13.1), 612 were male. The age adjusted prevalence rate of any pterygium was 10.0% (95% confidence intervals (CI) 8.2 to 11.7) and of bilateral pterygia was 4.1% (95% CI 2.9 to 5.3). There was a significant dose-response relation with age (2.9% (95% CI 0.4 to 5.8) for 21–29 years versus 17.3% (95% CI 10.4 to 24.2) 50 years and above; p for trend Conclusions: There is a high prevalence rate of pterygia in provincial Sumatra. The independent increase with age and past outdoor activity (a surrogate for sun exposure) is consistent with previous findings. Clinical grading of pterygium morphology by the opacity of the lesion was a useful additional marker of severity.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Frequency and Risk Factors for Pterygium in the Barbados Eye StudyAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 2001
- Pterygia PathogenesisAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 2001
- Amniotic membrane transplantation after extensive removal of primary and recurrent pterygiaOphthalmology, 2001
- The prevalence and risk factors for pterygium in an adult Chinese population in Singapore: the Tanjong Pagar surveyAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 2001
- Overexpression of collagenase (MMP-1) and stromelysin (MMP-3) by pterygium head fibroblasts.2001
- Risk factors for the development of pterygium in Singapore: A hospital‐based case‐control studyActa Ophthalmologica Scandinavica, 2000
- Analysis of variation in success rates in conjunctival autografting for primary and recurrent pterygiumBritish Journal of Ophthalmology, 2000
- Accuracy and accommodation capability of a handheld autorefractorJournal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, 2000
- Pterygium: prevalence, demography and risk factorsOphthalmic Epidemiology, 1999
- Outdoor work and the risk of pterygia: a case-control studyInternational Ophthalmology, 1998