Impression cytology changes and corneoconjunctival calcification in patients with chronic renal failure.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between corneoconjunctival calcification and conjunctival squamous metaplasia in patients with chronic renal failure (CRP).


METHODS
We studied impression cytology in 45 CRF patients on regular hemodialysis and 30 age- and sex-matched controls. Specimens were obtainedfrom the temporal bulbar conjunctiva using cellulose acetate filter paper. The samples were fixed in a mixture of 70% ethyl alcohol, 37% formaldehyde and glacial acetic acid and then stained with a combination of periodic acid- Schiff and Gill's modified Papanicolaou stain and graded by a masked observer. Corneoconjunctival calcification was graded by the Porter-Crombie classification.


RESULTS
Of 45 study patients, 4 (9%) disclosed grade 0, 23 (51%) grade 1, 14 (31%) grade 2 and 4 grade 3 (9%) impression cytology changes. There was a statistically significant difference between the patient and control groups (p < 0.001). Calcium deposits were more frequent and extensive in CRF patients than in controls (p = 0.01). There was no correlation between impression cytology and calcium deposit grades (p = 0.128). However the presence of conjunctival inflammation correlated with the existence of extensive squamous metaplasia (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The severity of conjunctival changes in CRF patients on regular hemodialysis are not related to calcium deposition but to acute conjunctival inflammation.
Bakaris
Sevgi
S
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras State Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. sevgiba@superonline.com
Ozdemir
Murat
M
Isik
Ismet Onder
IO
Buyukbese
Mehmet Akif
MA
Ozdemir
Gokhan
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology