Prevalence of and risk factors for asteroid hyalosis in Seoul, Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of asteroid hyalosis (AH) in Seoul, Korea, and to identify risk factors for the condition.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study with review of fundus photographs of subjects who received a health check-up between January 2006 and December 2006 at the Yonsei Medical Examination Center yielded 9,050 available cases (aged 40 years or older). AH was diagnosed retrospectively by the presence of cream-white spherical bodies within the vitreous, as seen in the fundus photographs.


RESULTS
The estimate prevalence of AH was 0.36%. Multivariate analysis showed that the prevalence of AH was significantly higher in older patients and in those with stroke history, hypertension history, and high serum lipid levels.


CONCLUSIONS
AH was relatively uncommon with the estimate prevalence of 0.36% in Seoul, Korea. The prevalence of AH correlated with age, stroke history, hypertension history, serum triglyceride levels, and low-density lipoprotein levels, with no gender bias. AH was not significantly associated with a history of diabetes, gout, heavy drinking, or current smoking.
Kim
Ji Hyun
JH
Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Roh
Mi In
MI
Byeon
Suk Ho
SH
Koh
Hyoung Jun
HJ
Lee
Sung Chul
SC
Kwon
Oh Woong
OW
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*