RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Association between keratoconus and atopy.
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 816
OP 822
DO 10.1136/bjo.73.10.816
VO 73
IS 10
A1 R J Harrison
A1 P T Klouda
A1 D L Easty
A1 M Manku
A1 J Charles
A1 C M Stewart
YR 1989
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/73/10/816.abstract
AB Sixty-seven patients with keratoconus were classified according to atopic status. Keratoconus patients with and without atopy did not differ significantly with regard to sex, age of onset, or rate of keratoplasty, but patients with very high IgE levels were more prone to graft rejection. Atopy was less common in patients with unilateral keratoconus, and keratoconus occurred more frequently on the side of the dominant hand. There was a significantly lower frequency of HLA B7 in the keratoconus group than in the controls. No abnormalities of essential fatty acid metabolism were found in keratoconus patients with or without atopy. There was no social class bias in the group. The study included a brother and sister with keratoconus and atopy, and a non-atopic patient whose identical twin did not have keratoconus.