Does systemic inflammation play a role in patients with pterygium?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Clinical Biochemistry

Background:

• Pterygium is a common ocular condition.
• Systemic inflammation and lipid profiles may be associated with pterygium development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare systemic inflammation markers and serum lipid levels in patients with pterygium versus healthy controls.
• To investigate correlations between serum parameters and pterygium measurements.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study comparing 35 pterygium patients and 30 healthy individuals.
• Analysis of complete blood count (CBC) parameters, serum lipids (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TG), and calculated ratios.
• Quantitative measurement of pterygium dimensions (basal length, longitudinal length, total area) using ImageJ software.

Main Results:

• Patients with pterygium had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and higher triglyceride (TG) levels compared to controls.
• Age positively correlated with pterygium basal length, longitudinal length, and total area.
• Neutrophil levels showed a negative correlation with pterygium longitudinal length and total area.

Conclusions:

• Management of pterygium should consider local inflammation rather than systemic inflammation.
• Decreased HDL levels in pterygium patients may indicate underlying systemic oxidative stress.