title: Impression cytology changes and corneoconjunctival calcification in patients with chronic renal failure.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras State Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. sevgiba@superonline.com
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bakaris
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Ismet Onder
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Buyukbese
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
mesh_terms: 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