title: Prevalence and associated factors of pinguecula in a rural population in Shanghai, Eastern China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and associated factors of pinguecula in a rural Chinese population aged ≥ 50 years in Eastern China.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, population-based survey included an age-stratified random sample of 1108 residents living in Lvxiang Town of Jinshan District. Participants were requested to complete a comprehensive questionnaire to collect demographic data, history of systemic diseases and lifestyle details. The presence of pinguecula on slit lamp examination was recorded. The prevalence of pinguecula and its associated factors were investigated by logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1108 eligible subjects, 959 participated in the study, with an average age of 65.1 ± 9.2 years (range 50-89 years). The overall age-adjusted prevalence of pinguecula in this population was 75.57% (95% confidence interval 71.79-79.35%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that age (p = 0.002) and working outdoors (daily sunlight exposure ≥ 2 hours; p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for pinguecula. In addition, sex, education level, alcohol intake, smoking and decreased tear break-up time did not have associations with the development of pinguecula after adjusting for age and outdoor work occupations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of pinguecula was 75.57% in this Chinese population aged ≥ 50 years from a coastal rural area of Shanghai, Eastern China, which was higher than the majority of previous findings. Age and working outdoors were independent risk factors for pinguecula.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Qihua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Xinhan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jianjiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059407:Pinguecula / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Chinese; pinguecula; population-based study; prevalence; rural