Prevalence and Associated Factors for Pterygium in Rural Agrarian Central India. The Central India Eye and Medical Study: e82439

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 12
• Main Authors: Nangia, Vinay, Jonas, Jost B, Nair, Deepa, Saini, Nandita, Nangia, Prabhat, Panda-Jonas, Songhomitra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-12-2013
• Subjects: India
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082439

Purpose To evaluate the prevalence of pterygia and associated factors in a rural population in a mostly undeveloped agrarian region. Methods The Central India Eye and Medical Study is a population-based study performed in a rural region of Central India. The study comprised 4711 subjects (aged 30+ years). A detailed ophthalmic and medical examination was performed. A pterygium was diagnosed during the slit lamp examination and confirmed on corneal photographs. It was defined as a fleshy fibrovascular growth, crossing the limbus and typically seen on the nasal, and sometimes temporal, conjunctiva. Results A pterygium was detected in 798 eyes (prevalence rate: 8.47 plus or minus 0.29%) of 608 (12.91 plus or minus 0.49%) subjects. Bilateral pterygia were present in 190 subjects (4.0% of study population). Pterygia prevalence increased from 6.7 plus or minus 0.8% in the age group 30-39 years, to 13.5 plus or minus 1.2% in the age group 50-59 years, to 25.3 plus or minus 2.1% in the age group 70-79 years. Prevalence of pterygia was associated with older age (P<0.001; regression coefficient B: 0.02; odds ratio (OR): 1.02; 95%CI: 1.01, 1.03), male gender (P<0.001; B:-0.73; OR: .48; 95%CI:0.39,0.61), lower level of education (P<0.001; B:-0.30; OR:0.74; 95%CI:0.69,0.80), lower body height (P=0.001; B:-0.02; OR:0.98; 95%CI:0.97,0.99), and higher cylindrical refractive error (P<0.001; B:0.23; OR:1.26; 95%CI:1.18,1.34). If the education level was dropped, the number of hours spent with vigorous activity outdoors (P=0.001; B:0.001; OR:1.001; 95%CI:1.000,1.0001)was significantly associated with the prevalence of pterygia, in addition to older age (P<0.001; B:0.03; OR:1.03; 95%CI:1.03,1.04), male gender (P<0.001; B:-0.49; OR:0.62; 95%CI:0.49,0.77), lower body height (P=0.005; B:-0.02; OR:0.98; 95%CI:0.97,0.99), and higher cylindrical refractive error (P<0.001; B:0.23; OR:1.25; 95%CI:1.18,1.34). Conclusions Pterygium prevalence in rural Central India is about 13% among adult Indians aged 30+ years. Older age, male gender, lower educational level, lower body height and more time spent outdoors with vigorous work were associated factors. Since the living conditions in the study location were mostly untouched by modern developments, the results may show the prevalence and associations of pterygia without major medical or technologic influences.