Baig Rashid, Ali Asma Wilayat, Ali Tuba, Ali Azam, Shah Mahnaz Naveed, Sarfaraz Adeel, Ahmad Khabir
Section of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
J Pak Med Assoc. 2010 May;60(5):371-3.
To determine the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in children in selected schools in Karachi, Pakistan.
This cross-sectional study was conducted in September and October 2008 as part of the School Eye Health Initiative launched by the Aga Khan University, Karachi and the Adamjee Eye Hospital, Karachi. Children in the selected schools underwent vision assessment and a slit lamp examination by an ophthalmologist. The main objective was to detect allergic conjunctivitis which was ascertained by the presence of papillae in the upper tarsal conjunctiva, redness of the eyes, and presence or history of itching and burning.
A total of 818 children aged 5-19 years were examined. Of these, 19.2% (95% CI 16.5% to 21.9%) had allergic conjunctivitis. There was a significant association between increasing age and allergic conjunctivitis (Odds ratio: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.26; P < 0.001). Boys had a higher burden of allergic conjunctivitis than girls; however this difference was not statistically significant (Odds ratio: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.90, 1.91, p = 0.153).
There is a very high prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in children in the selected schools in Karachi. Further research is needed to identify factors that contribute to such a high burden of this condition and to assess whether a similar pattern is also observed elsewhere.
确定巴基斯坦卡拉奇选定学校儿童过敏性结膜炎的患病率。
这项横断面研究于2008年9月和10月进行，是卡拉奇阿迦汗大学和卡拉奇亚当吉眼科医院发起的学校眼健康倡议的一部分。选定学校的儿童接受了视力评估和眼科医生的裂隙灯检查。主要目的是检测过敏性结膜炎，通过上睑结膜乳头的存在、眼睛发红以及瘙痒和烧灼感的存在或病史来确定。
共检查了818名5至19岁的儿童。其中，19.2%（95%置信区间16.5%至21.9%）患有过敏性结膜炎。年龄增长与过敏性结膜炎之间存在显著关联（优势比：1.19，95%置信区间：1.12，1.26；P<0.001）。男孩的过敏性结膜炎负担高于女孩；然而，这种差异在统计学上并不显著（优势比：1.31，95%置信区间：0.90，1.91，p=0.153）。
卡拉奇选定学校儿童中过敏性结膜炎的患病率非常高。需要进一步研究以确定导致这种疾病高负担的因素，并评估其他地方是否也观察到类似模式。
