Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2015 , Vol 18, Issue 1
THE ASSOCIATION OF ARCUS SENILIS WITH EXFOLIATION SYNDROME AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN ELDERLY POPULATION
Özlem DİKMETAŞ, Mehmet Cem MOCAN, Duygu GÜLMEZ SEVİM, Murat İRKEÇ
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, ANKARA Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between commonly observed ocular conditions in older aged population, arcus senilis and exfoliation syndrome and to evaluate their association with systemic vascular disease.

Materials and Method: Seventy-five patients with arcus senilis (Group 1) and 75 patients without arcus senilis (Group 2) were included in the study. The proportion of cases with exfoliation syndrome, levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein as well as rates of vascular disease were compared between two groups.

Results: Patients in both groups were similar with respect to age (65.7±8.5 years, 62.9±6.2 years; p=0.394). Exfoliation syndrome prevalence in group 1 (14.7%) was lower than that of group 2 (29.3%) (p=0.030). There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to levels of serum cholesterol (200.6±46.5 mg/dl vs.189.2±41.6 mg/dl; p=0.116), serum triglycerides (4.7±0.5 log vs. 4.8±0.4log; p=0.760), high density lipoprotein (4.06±0.3log vs. 4.08±0.3log; p=0.720), low density lipoprotein (112.0±43.3 mg/dl, 118.7±37.0 mg/dl; p=0.307) and very low density lipoprotein (3.2±0.5log vs. 3.3±0.5log; p=0.528). Statistically significant differences with respect to coronary artery disease (10.7% vs. 12.0%, p=0.797) or diabetes mellitus (18.7% vs. 30.7%; p=0.088) were not detected between the two groups. Hypertension was observed more frequently in patients without arcus senilis (12.0% vs. 37.3%; p<0.001).

Conclusion: Exfoliation syndrome was observed more frequently in patients without arcus senilis. Arcus senilis and exfoliation syndrome do not appear to be associated with coronary artery disease. Keywords : Arcus Senilis; Coronary Artery Disease; Exfoliation Syndrome; Hyperlipidemias