Abstract
Purpose :
We performed a prospective, observational and descriptive study to evaluate the histopathological characteristics of the pterygium tissue, and how they were affected by N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), as antioxidant agent, treatment.
Methods :
This study included 15 eyes with primary pterygia from Fundacion Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Luz, undergoing surgical excision; each group had 5 cases. Prior to surgery, they were divided into three groups, randomly assigned, group one was treated with N-Acetylcysteine 600 mg orally, group two with topical application of N-Acetylcysteine 10% and group three, as a control without treatment. Postoperatively, pterygium specimens were examined by hematoxylin-eosin stain, performed in Instituto Politecnico Nacional, to evaluate histopathologic characteristics including vascular density, stromal elastosis, stromal fibrosis, inflammation and changes in epithelium; and they were analyzed by Pathology Department in Fundacion Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Luz.
Results :
Group I: 3 presented abundant goblet cell hyperplasia, epithelial lymphocytic exocytosis, with perivascular stromal infiltrate and scarce solar elastosis. Group II: 4 pterygia showed little goblet cell hyperplasia, exocytosis, little elastosis and all perivascular infiltrate. Group III: control group, 4 had mil hyperplasia, perivascular infiltrate, moderate goblet cell hyperplasia and all had elastosis.
Conclusions :
This study shows tha NAC ocular instillation reduces the inflammatory, epithelial hyperplasia and elastotic changes, that could influence the devolopment and eventual recurrence of pterygium, and may be useful in the therapeutical management of this disease.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.