| Past Issue | Volume 8, Number 4, August 2006 | | Chronic Allergic Conjunctivitis: an Evaluation of Environmental Risk Factors |
Charles O Bekibele, Bolutife A Olusanya
Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Aim: To identify the pattern of environmental risk factors for chronic allergic conjunctivitis
Methods: A case-control study was performed at the Eye Clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, between July 2002 and June 2004. Twenty eight patients with clinical features of vernal or atopic keratoconjunctivitis were identified and compared with 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.
Results: Fifty percent of patients were younger than 10 years. The male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Risk factors for chronic allergic conjunctivitis included use of kerosene or firewood as the main cooking fuel (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.3; p < 0.05), cooking within the living room (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.9; p < 0.05), living within 500 metres of a commercial centre or major transport terminus (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.9; p < 0.05), living in cramped accommodation (odds ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-2.6), and rural dwelling (odds ratio, 1.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.9- 2.5).
Conclusions: Cooking within the living room, use of kerosene or firewood for cooking, living in close proximity to commercial centres, cramped accommodation, and rural dwelling were significant risk factors for chronic allergic conjunctivitis. Management of patients with allergic conjunctivitis should include counselling for risk avoidance.
Key words: : Conjunctivitis allergic, Risk factors
Asian J Ophthalmol 2006;8:147-50.
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