Duration of renal failure as risk factor for conjunctival squamous metaplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess ocular surface changes in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), to compare the results with the duration of illness.


METHODS
Impression cytology from 48 patients with CRF on regular hemodialysis and 16 age- and sex-matched control subjects were studied. Specimens were taken from the temporal bulbar conjunctiva using cellulose acetate filter paper.


RESULTS
Among the patients with CRF who were ill for 0-10 years, 25 patients (78.1%) disclosed grade 0-1, and 7 patients (21.9%) disclosed grade 2-3 cytologic changes, whereas in those with the duration of CRF > 10 years, 9 patients (56.2%) had grade 0-1 and 7 patients (43.8%) had grade 2-3 changes. Specimens from the control group revealed 93.8% grade 0-1 and 6.2% grade 2-3 changes (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The ocular surfaces of patients with CRF differ significantly from those of normal individuals, and the severity of conjunctival changes is related to the duration of CRF.
Demir
Necati
N
Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Altay
Mustafa
M
Ozer
Elif
E
Unlü
Nurten
N
Duranay
Murat
M
Ustün
Hüseyin
H
Duman
Sunay
S
D000328:Adult; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors