Histopathological Parameters in Pterygia and Significant Clinical Correlations

To evaluate the clinical and histopathological parameters of pterygium to determine significant correlations between parameters that can affect management strategies.

A total of 47 pterygia were clinically examined and excised for histopathological evaluation of epithelial and stromal changes. Some samples were immunostained with P53 (a protein of 53 kilodalton used as dysplastic epithelial marker), CD20 (CD/cluster of differentiation, are group of surface receptors providing targets for cellular immunophenotyping, CD20 as a B lymphocyte marker), CD 3 (as T lymphocyte marker) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF/as vascular marker).

Most patients were male (59.6%). Cosmetic complaints (83%), grade II redness (61.7%), grade 2 extension (63.8), and associated astigmatism of <2.5 D (83%) were observed. Histopathological features included solar elastosis (100%), squamous hyperplasia (83%), increased stromal vascularity with hemorrhage (76.6%), and lymphocytic stromal infiltration, perivascular distribution, and mild epithelial lymphocytic exocytosis in 72.3%, 74.5%, and 70.2% of cases, respectively. Other changes included goblet cell hyperplasia (31.9%), prominent epithelial pigmentation (48.9%), and, most importantly, epithelial atypia (53.2%). Clinical redness was significantly correlated with vascularity, epithelial hyperplasia, and lymphocytic stromal infiltration; lymphocytic stromal infiltration was also significantly correlated with pterygium extension and with low astigmatism.

The inflammatory response was mild in most cases and the density was not significantly correlated with any clinical parameter. Vascularity was related to clinical redness. Treatment with anti-VEGF may be beneficial, even for grade 1 pterygia that are not dominantly fibrotic.