[Epidemiologic study of conjunctivochalasis in populations equal or over 60 years old in Caoyangxincun community of Shanghai, China].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and relative factors of conjunctivochalasis among people over 60 years old in Caoyangxincun community of Shanghai.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study based on local residents in this community was carried out from September 2008 to October 2008. Cluster sampling was used in randomly selecting individuals aged > or = 60 years. Slit-lamp ophthalmoscope was used for eye examination and diagnosis. The survey was preceded by a pilot study where operational methods were refined and quality assurance evaluation was carried out. A database was set using SPSS 10.0 software, Chi-square test was used for data analysis.


RESULTS
2110 residents took part in this study, with the response rate 94.85%. 930 cases (1762 eyes) were confirmed as conjunctivochalasis, so the prevalence rate is 44.08%. The prevalence of conjunctivochalasis was increasing with age (chi(2) = 10.44, P < 0.01). 556 cases (943 eyes) were confirmed as degree I, 246 cases (647 eyes) as degree II, 120 cases (162 eyes) as degree III and the rest 8 cases (10 eyes) as degree IV. Several symptoms, such as blurred vision, asthenopia and eye pain were more frequent in patient group than in the normal ones (chi(2) value was 15.44, 20.54 and 19.74, respectively, P < 0.01). In the disease eyes, the conjunctiva usually piled up on the nasal and temporal side (944 eyes, 53.58%), the location of inferior lid margin was usually above corneal limbus (2589 eyes, 61.35%) and inferior lid margin entropion and introversion were always found (7.04% and 6.63%). Abnormal lacrimal river was found in 87.23% of the diseased eyes, more than the non-conjunctivochalasis eyes (chi(2) = 1615.81, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Conjunctivochalasis is a common eye disease in aged population, with obvious signs and symptoms of ocular surface and lacrimal river impairment. In the local residents, most patients were classified as minimal or moderate degree. The location of inferior lid margin and the tension of inferior lid may be related factor of conjunctivochalasis.
Li
Qing-song
QS
Department of Ophthalmology, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Medicine, Shanghai 200062, China.
Zhang
Xing-ru
XR
Zou
Hai-dong
HD
Peng
Jin-juan
JJ
Shi
Cai-cai
CC
Zhou
Huan-ming
HM
Zhang
Gui-li
GL
Xiang
Min-hong
MH
Li
Yi-jie
YJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence