Prevalence Of Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome In Patients With Cardiovascular Disease - One Year Cross Sectional Hospital Based Study

Abstract

Background and objectives Pseudoexfoliation (PXF) is an age-related systemic condition characterized by the production and accumulation of abnormal fibrillar extracellular material. Ocular pseudoexfoliation is now recognized as a systemic disease as these materials have been found in other parts of the body namely skin, vascular structures, and visceral organs such as the kidney, heart, lungs, and gall bladder as well as in the inner ear . The objectives of our study are: 1. To find out prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome in patient with cardiovascular disease. 2. To find out association of pseudoexfoliation syndrome with hypertension and diabetes. Methodology The present one year Cross Sectional Study of 125 patients was conducted on patients with cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction, angina, cardiomyopathies which, may or may not be associated with hypertension or diabetes to find out the prevalence and association with pseudoexfoliation. All patients were subjected to detailed ocular examination to diagnose pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Results The average age of these patients was 62.85 years but average age of 72 years was seen in subjects with PXF, with male predominance. 4 patients had unilateral pseudoexfoliation material of which 3 were males and 1 was female and 5 males had bilateral involvement. No sex predilection was seen; however the prevalence was slightly higher in males. The mean IOP was 16.53 mm Hg and the mean IOP in subjects with PXF was 20.61 mm Hg which was higher than subjects without PXF. 10.39% patients diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation syndrome had hypertension, but 2.08% patients had no history of hypertension. Similarly 9.26 % of patients with diabetes mellitus were diagnosed to have pseudoexfoliation, but 5.64% patients had pseudoexfoliation syndrome but no history of diabetes. Conclusion The prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome in cardiovascular diseases was 7.2%. The rates of arterial hypertension and diabetes in subjects with pseudoexfoliation were higher, however statistically it is not significant. Further, studies with larger populations are needed to clarify the relationship and systemic characteristics of pseudoexfoliation syndrome.