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Frequency of pterygium in indigenous Kadiweu
Author(s) -
VERONESE RODRIGUES ML,
SALUM TG
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2009.2445.x
Subject(s) - pterygium , indigenous , geography , ethnic group , population , demography , socioeconomics , medicine , environmental health , ecology , surgery , biology , sociology , anthropology
Abstract Purpose Study carried out in Amazonas, north of Brazil, reported that river indigenous people have much higher rates of pterygium than indigenous living in forest. Exposure to the sun was the major risk factor for pterygium . The objective of this study was to verify the frequency of pterygium in indigenous with different ethnic and cultural background, and living in another region of the country, with different geographic characteristics (Kadiwéu indigenous). Methods Ocular examination was performed in 10% of the total population of Kadiwéu indigenous (90 subjects), living in two small villages, in “Serra Boquena” region, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, in center‐west Brazil. Results The frequency of pterigyum in all participants was 15%. Considering only individuals over 20 years the rate was 20%. Conclusion The frequency of pterygium in indigenous Kadiwéu is lower than the rate in river indigenous and higher than in forest people.