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Session Date: Monday, April 28

Location: Hall B/C
Program Number/Poster Board Number: 2374/D1015
Abstract Title: Correlation Between the Levels of Air Pollution With the Hyperplasia of
Goblet Cells in Human Conjunctiva During the Last 7 Years in the Metropolitan Area of
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Presentation Time: 3:00 PM- 4:45 PM
Reviewing Code: 281 ocular surface health and disease- CO

Author Block: I. Berra1 , L. Dawidowski2 , P. Novaes3 , A. D' Angiola 2 , N. Kara-jose 3 , P.H.

Saldiva4 , A. Berra5,3 . 1 Ocular Laboratory, Biofundus, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 2 Environmental
MonitoringGroup, Chemistry Activity Unit,, Atomic Energy NationalCommission,Buenos Aires,
Argentina; 3 Ophthalmology,Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM-33), University of Sao Paulo
Medical School, Sao Paulo,Brazil; 4 Laboratory of ExperimentalAir Pollution(LIM05), University of
Sao PauloMedical School,, Sao Paulo,Brazil; 5 Laboratory of Ocular Investigation, Buenos Aires
University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Keywords: 464 clinical (human) or epidemiologicstudies: risk factor assessment, 618 ocular
irritants , 474 conjunctiva
Purpose. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the correlation between air pollution
with the hyperplasia of conjunctival goblet cells (GC) in patients with ocular discomfort in the
metropolitanarea of Buenos Aires (MABA).
Methods. We analyzed the impression cytology of 8,377 patients with symptoms of ocular
discomfort, together with on-road mobileemissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides
(NOx) in MABA between 2000 to 2006. Nelson classification was used and we considered more
than 300 GC in 10 high power fields (HPF)with 400X magnification as hyperplasia of GC. The PM
and NOx annual emissions were computed by means of the 2006 MABA on-road mobileemission
inventory, taking into consideration the fleet evolution through time as well as the incorporation of
new vehicle technologieans. Locally-measured emission factors as well as those presented by the
European COPERTIIImethodology were employed.
Results. The levels of PMand NOx on-road mobileemissions in MABA increased significantly
during the last seven years, PM:3.4 to 4.0 gigagrams (Gg) and NOx: 64 to 76 Gg. In impression
cytology samples, GC hyperplasia was also increased significantly between 5.75% to 18%.

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Conclusions. The results suggest that the exposure to PMand NOx on-road mobileemissions
induced a dose dependent GC conjunctival hyperplasia. These findings suggest that this event is an
adaptive response of the conjunctival epitheliumto chronic environmentalinjury. Nevertheless, this
adaptation is not enough to inhibit the symptoms of ocular irritation.
Commercial Relationship: I. Berra , None; L. Dawidowski , None; P. Novaes, None; A. D'
Angiola, None; N. Kara-jose , None; P.H. Saldiva, None; A. Berra , None.
Support: none

2008, Copyright by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology,Inc., all rights
reserved. Go to www.iovs.org to access the version of record. For permission to reproduce any
abstract, contact the ARVO Office at arvo@arvo.org

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