PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between baseline pterygium and pinguecula and the five-year incidence of age-related maculopathy (ARM). DESIGN: Popula tion-based longitudinal study. METHODS: The Blue Mountains Eye...PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between baseline pterygium and pinguecula and the five-year incidence of age-related maculopathy (ARM). DESIGN: Popula tion-based longitudinal study. METHODS: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 residents aged 49+years during 1992 to 1994 and then re-examined 2335 (7 5.1%of survivors) after five years. Retinal photographs were graded using the W isconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. Slit-lamp examination recorde d pterygium and pinguecula. Eye-specific data were analyzed using generalized e stimating equation models. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, gender, and smoking , eyes with pterygium or previous pterygium surgery had a higher risk of inciden t late ARM, odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95%confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 10.3, early ARM (OR 1.8, CI 1.1 to 2.9) and soft drusen (OR 2.0, CI 1.9 to 3.4), than eyes without pterygium. We found no association between pinguecula and incident ARM. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that pterygium was associated with a two-to three fold increased risk of incident late and early ARM.展开更多
PURPOSE. There is now increasing evidence that pterygium and pinguecula are tumorlike tissues and that cell growth and DNA replication are closely linked to cholesterol metabolism. In this study, the expression of two...PURPOSE. There is now increasing evidence that pterygium and pinguecula are tumorlike tissues and that cell growth and DNA replication are closely linked to cholesterol metabolism. In this study, the expression of two main genes correlated to cholesterol metabolism- namely, the low- density lipoprotein receptor (LDL- R) gene and the hydroxy- methylglutaryl- co- enzyme A- reductase (HMG- CoA- R) gene- were investigated in primary pterygium, pinguecula, and normal conjunctiva. METHODS. Pterygium, pinguecula, and normal conjunctiva samples were obtained from 30 eyes (50% men) at the time of surgery. Total RNA extracted from the specimens was subjected to semiquantitative reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR). Equal amounts of total RNA were reverse transcribed into cDNA. The cDNA was subsequently amplified by the PCR in the presence of specific primers for low- density lipoprotein receptor (LDL- R) and for hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG- CoA- R). RESULTS. Semiquantitative RT- PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA levels of LDL- R and HMG- CoA- R were increased in pterygia, compared with levels in both pingueculae and normal conjunctivae. Differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05), including pingueculae versus normal conjunctivae. CONCLUSIONS. This study indicates that pterygium and pinguecula have an altered metabolism of cholesterol- namely increased LDL- R and HMG- CoA- R mRNAs- as is characteristic of tumorlike tissues, and that the high expression of LDL receptors renders them amenable to be treated by photodynamic therapy with intravenously injected verteporfin.展开更多
文摘PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between baseline pterygium and pinguecula and the five-year incidence of age-related maculopathy (ARM). DESIGN: Popula tion-based longitudinal study. METHODS: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 residents aged 49+years during 1992 to 1994 and then re-examined 2335 (7 5.1%of survivors) after five years. Retinal photographs were graded using the W isconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. Slit-lamp examination recorde d pterygium and pinguecula. Eye-specific data were analyzed using generalized e stimating equation models. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, gender, and smoking , eyes with pterygium or previous pterygium surgery had a higher risk of inciden t late ARM, odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95%confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 10.3, early ARM (OR 1.8, CI 1.1 to 2.9) and soft drusen (OR 2.0, CI 1.9 to 3.4), than eyes without pterygium. We found no association between pinguecula and incident ARM. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that pterygium was associated with a two-to three fold increased risk of incident late and early ARM.
文摘PURPOSE. There is now increasing evidence that pterygium and pinguecula are tumorlike tissues and that cell growth and DNA replication are closely linked to cholesterol metabolism. In this study, the expression of two main genes correlated to cholesterol metabolism- namely, the low- density lipoprotein receptor (LDL- R) gene and the hydroxy- methylglutaryl- co- enzyme A- reductase (HMG- CoA- R) gene- were investigated in primary pterygium, pinguecula, and normal conjunctiva. METHODS. Pterygium, pinguecula, and normal conjunctiva samples were obtained from 30 eyes (50% men) at the time of surgery. Total RNA extracted from the specimens was subjected to semiquantitative reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR). Equal amounts of total RNA were reverse transcribed into cDNA. The cDNA was subsequently amplified by the PCR in the presence of specific primers for low- density lipoprotein receptor (LDL- R) and for hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG- CoA- R). RESULTS. Semiquantitative RT- PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA levels of LDL- R and HMG- CoA- R were increased in pterygia, compared with levels in both pingueculae and normal conjunctivae. Differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05), including pingueculae versus normal conjunctivae. CONCLUSIONS. This study indicates that pterygium and pinguecula have an altered metabolism of cholesterol- namely increased LDL- R and HMG- CoA- R mRNAs- as is characteristic of tumorlike tissues, and that the high expression of LDL receptors renders them amenable to be treated by photodynamic therapy with intravenously injected verteporfin.
