Ocular surface degenerative diseases studies in an isolated region of Argentine Patagonia

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Environmental proteinaceous corneal degeneration (EPCD), pinguecula and pterygium and any association among them, and to perform lipidomic studies in some samples of EPCD and pterygium. Materials and methods: It was a transversal/observational and analytical study; the sample was consecutive non-probabilistic. All patients examined resided all their lives in the department El Cuy (Río Negro). Corneal epithelium and conjunctiva tissue samples were taken to perform mass spectrometric lipidomic studies. Results: One hundred and fifty-nine patients were studied (52.83% male and 47.17% female). The prevalence of ophthalmoheliosis was: pinguecula 32.1%, EPCD 28.9%, and pterygium 13.2%. A statistically significant association was found between EPCD and male patients (21.4% vs 7.5%) (p <0.05). There was association between EPCD with pinguecula and with pterygium, both more frequent in males (p <0.05). Lipidomic studies in EPCD showed a decrease in the concentration of phospholipids in affected areas (15 times less). In pterygium, there was an increase in the concentration of phospholipids (6.67 times more). Conclusion: Our investigation shows important prevalence of EPCD, pinguecula and pterygium in individuals that live at El Cuy (Argentine Patagonia). As far as we know, this is the first work in the world that shows coexistences between these three ophthalmoheliosis. The decrease concentration of phospholipids in EPCD affected areas could be due to lipid peroxidation, as a consequence of oxidative stress. On the other hand, higher levels of PC and PS in pterygium samples could be explained by the increase in proliferation and angiogenesis.