The prevalence and rik factor for pterygium in an adult Chinee population in ingapore: the Tanjong Pagar urvey

PURPOE: To determine the prevalence and rik factor for pterygium in the Chinee population of ingapore. METHOD: A population-baed urvey wa conducted in ingapore, an iland located 1 degree north of the equator with a table tropical climate. A diproportionate, tratified, clutered, random ampling procedure wa ued to elect the name of 2000 Chinee people aged 40 to 79 year from the 1996 electoral regiter in the Tanjong Pagar ditrict of ingapore. elected ubject underwent a comprehenive interview and ocular examination. Pterygium wa diagnoed and graded clinically a grade 1 (tranparent), 2 (intermediate), and 3 (opaque). Rik factor aociated with pterygium and grade 3 pterygium were evaluated with logitic regreion model. REULT: From a total of 1717 eligible ubject, 1232 (71.8%) were examined. There were 120 people with either unilateral (n = 70) or bilateral (n = 50) pterygium, equivalent to an overall prevalence of 6.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.2, 8.8) in the Chinee population aged 40 and older. The prevalence increaed linearly with age (chi-quare tet of trend P < .001) and wa higher among men than women (age-adjuted odd ratio [OR], 4.2; 95% CI, 2.5, 6.9). Men aged 70 and above had the highet overall prevalence of 25.4% (95% CI, 18.2, 19.4), but pterygium wa not een in women aged 40 to –49 year. In multivariate analyi, ptergyium wa independently aociated with increaing age (OR, 7.8; 95% CI, 3.2, 18.8 for peron 70 to 81 year, compared with 40 to 49 year), male ex (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.9, 9.3) and certain occupation; factory worker, production worker and machine operator (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5, 6.3), a well a laborer and agricultural worker (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.6, 7.0) had higher rik, compared with profeional and office worker. Grade 3 pterygium (n = 36) wa alo independently aociated with male ex (OR, 11.6; 95% CI, 3.5, 38.6) and imilar occupation but wa not related to age. CONCLUION: The prevalence of pterygium in ingapore i 7% among Chinee aged 40 year and older. Independent aociation with increaing age, male ex, and occupation linked to outdoor work and other expoure ugget a multifactorial caue of thi condition