title: Prevalence of pterygium in a population in Northern Japan: the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for pterygium in a population aged 40-74 years in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 4185 citizens of the towns of Minamiaizu-machi and Tadami-machi, 2312 (55.2%) gave consent to an ocular examination during a health examination. Pterygium was diagnosed when a radially oriented fibrovascular lesion growing over the limbus into the cornea was observed. Eyes with a history of pterygium excision were also diagnosed with pterygium. Prevalence and factors associated with pterygium were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2312 subjects, 101 (4.4%; 95% confidence interval, 3.6-5.3%) had pterygium in at least 1 eye. The average age (±SD) of the subjects was 64.3 ± 8.0 years. Gender, age, outdoor job history and smoking history were examined as possible associated factors, but only age was found to be significantly associated with pterygium in logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of pterygium was 4.4% in the study population. This low rate may be due to the northern latitude of these towns. Age was associated with a risk of pterygium, but gender and outdoor job history were not associated with onset of pterygium in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. tanotakatoshi@canvas.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Takatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tano
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Yoshimune
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiratsuka
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Misa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takegami
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murakami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 1993 Nov;77(11):734-9
references.pmid: 8280691
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 2000 Mar;84(3):289-92
references.pmid: 10684840
references.citation: J Orthop Sci. 2012 May;17(3):261-71
references.pmid: 22526710
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 2009 Oct;93(10):1287-90
references.pmid: 19570772
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2009 Nov;148(5):766-771.e1
references.pmid: 19664753
references.citation: Yan Ke Xue Bao. 2002 Sep;18(3):181-4
references.pmid: 15510751
references.citation: Eye (Lond). 2009 Feb;23(2):421-7
references.pmid: 17948037
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 2002 Dec;86(12):1341-6
references.pmid: 12446360
references.citation: Aust N Z J Ophthalmol. 1998 May;26 Suppl 1:S2-5
references.pmid: 9685008
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2001 Feb;131(2):176-83
references.pmid: 11228292
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 1967 Oct;78(4):485-91
references.pmid: 6046844
references.citation: Surv Ophthalmol. 1988 Jul-Aug;33(1):41-9
references.pmid: 3051468
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 2001 Dec;119(12):1827-32
references.pmid: 11735795
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 1984 May;68(5):347-9
references.pmid: 6712915
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 2010 Aug;94(8):977-81
references.pmid: 19965830
references.citation: JAMA. 1998 Aug 26;280(8):714-8
references.pmid: 9728643
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 1989 Oct;107(10):1481-4
references.pmid: 2803097
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 1984 May;68(5):343-6
references.pmid: 6712914
references.citation: Cornea. 2007 Dec;26(10):1184-6
references.pmid: 18043173