ISSN 0886-3067

Volume No 35 Issue No 1

Association of Intima-media Thickness of Internal Carotid Artery with Ocular Pseudoexfoliation

Purpose: To compare the internal carotid artery intima-media thickness (CAIMT) in patients with ocular PEX and healthy controls and to show that ocular PEX may be related to atherosclerosis, or not. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology in Adana Ortadogu Hospital, Adana, Turkey. The study was conducted between January 2017 and January 2018. Material and Methods: There were 32 participants in the study. In the biomicroscopic anterior segment examination, 16 patients were diagnosed with pseudoexfoliative material on the pupil margin or anterior lens capsule. These patients formed the first group (Group I).16 non-PEX patients were accepted as a control group (Group II). Patients with systemic disease such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus were excluded from the study. CAIMT was measured and noted in all participants. Carotid artery Doppler USG was used to measure CAIMT. The data were compared by statistical analysis. Results: In Group I and Group II, the age of the patients did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). In Group I and Group II, gender distribution was not significant (p > 0.05). In Group I, CAIMT was significantly higher than in Group II (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Ocular PEX appears to be associated with atherosclerosis. Keywords: Ocular pseudoexfoliation, atherosclerosis, carotid artery.