title: [Epidemiological and clinical features of allergic conjunctivitis in a reference center].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate demographic and clinical features of patients with allergic conjunctivitis in a reference center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study using sings and symptoms graduated by standardized charts for clinical diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated 207 patients, age ranging form 1 to 45 years and of whom 131 (63.28%) were males. Of the patients, 38.65% presented vernal keratoconjunctivitis; 38.65%, atopic keratoconjunctivitis; 12.56%, perennial allergic conjunctivitis and in 10.14% patients the diagnosis was not defined. Extraocular allergy was more frequent in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (91.25%) and less frequent in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (32.5%). Family history of allergy was more frequent in patients without defined diagnosis (59.1%) and less frequent in the vernal group (28.75%). The most itense symptoms were itching and tearing in patients with keratoconjunctivitis. There was a positive correlation between symptom intensity and signs severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic and severe types of ocular allergy, with potential threat to visual function, predominated in the studed group.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Oftalmologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. patriciamarback@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Patricia Maria Fernandes
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Marback
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paranhos Junior
authors.forename: Rubens
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belfort Junior
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004391:Dust; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D004391:Dust