Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in low and moderate myopic Chinese eyes

AIM:To describe and compare the corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in young,low and moderate myopic Chinese adults in Malaysian Chinese population.·METHODS:Non-contact specular microscopy(Topcon SP3000P,Tokyo,Japan) was performed in low(n =78;21.22±1.51 years) and moderate(n =78;21.82±1.40 years)myopic subjects.The mean of three consecutive measurements of endothelial cell density(MCD),coefficient of variation(CV) in the cell size,and hexagonal appearance of the cell were obtained.·RESULTS:In low myopic eyes the MCD was 3 063.0±176.2/mm2,the mean CV was 33.4 ±4.0% and the mean hexagonal appearance of the cell was 57.9 ±2.7%.In moderate myopic eyes the MCD was 2961.6 ±159.0/mm2,the mean CV was 33.9 ±3.6% and mean hexagonal appearance of the cell was 56.2 ±4.7%.There were statistically significant differences in MCD(P 【0.000) and hexagonal appearance of the cell(P 【0.005) between low and moderate myopic eyes.·CONCLUSION:The corneal endothelial cell layer in more myopic eyes tends to have less MCD and cell hexagonality compared to lower myopic eyes.Nevertheless,there is no significant difference in CV between low and moderate myopic eyes.

Visual acuity and endothelial cell density with respect to the graft thickness in Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty: one year results

AIM: To evaluate the visual acuity and endothelial cell density according to the thickness in Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty(DSAEK)one year after surgery.METHODS: DSAEK patients’ data were reviewed. Thirty seven eyes of 37 patients who underwent DSAEK for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy(PBK) were included in this study. Graft thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography(OCT) 12 mo after DSAEK. Eyes were divided into 3 groups based on the graft thickness:thick(】200 μm), medium-thick(150-200 μm) and thin(【150 μm). Best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),endothelial cells density(ECD) and complications were assessed and comparisons were done between groups.RESULTS: Median thickness of postoperative grafts was 188(range 73-317 μm). There was no significant difference in age, sex, preoperative BCVA, or follow-up period between DSAEK groups. At postoperative 12 mo,mean BCVA was 0.28±0.10 in thick graft group, 0.52±0.08 in medium-thick graft group, and 0.72 ±0.06 in thin graft group. Thin grafts showed better postoperative BCVA as compared with the medium-thick and thick grafts(P =0.001). Thick graft group had 1637.44 ±88.19-mm2,medium thick graft had 1764.50±34.28-mm2 and thin graft group had 1845.30 ±65.62-mm2. Thin graft group had better ECD at 12 mo after surgery(P =0.001).CONCLUSION: Thin grafts after DSAEK ensure better visual rehabilitation. Eyes with thin grafts had significantly lesser loss of ECD compared to eyes withmedium-thick and thick grafts one year after surgery.

Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in Chinese patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome

AIM: To evaluate the corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in Chinese patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX). METHODS: Medical records of 16 patients (20 eyes) with PEX who presented to our institution between July 2008 and June 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Thirteen eyes had combined glaucoma. The information of five apparently normal fellow eyes in these patients was also recorded. Left eyes of 20 patients with bilateral senile cataracts but no other eye disease were included as controls. Specular microscopy was performed in all eyes to analyze for corneal endothelial cell density and morphology. Cell density, coefficient of variation in cell size, and percentage of hexagonal cells in corneal endothelium were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean corneal endothelial cell density in the PEX eyes was 2298+/- 239 cells/mm(2), significantly lower than that in the cataract eyes (2652+/- 18 cells/mm(2), P=0.026), but there were no significant differences in coefficient of variation of cell size and frequency of hexagonality between these two groups. No significant differences in the three parameters were found between the apparently normal fellow eyes and the PEX eyes or the cataract eyes, or between the PEX eyes with and without glaucoma. CONCLUSION: Corneal endothelial cell density may decrease in Chinese patients with PEX. The development of glaucoma in PEX eyes does not seem to be related with the change in corneal endothelial cell density or morphology.

Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology and central corneal thickness in Guangxi Maonan and Han adolescent students of China

AIM: To investigate the corneal endothelial cell density and morphology and central corneal thickness in the Guangxi Maonan and Han adolescent students of China.METHODS: Noncontact specular microscope(Topcon SP3000 P, Tokyo, Japan) was performed in 133 adolescent students of Maonan nationality(M:F 54:79)and 105 adolescent students of Han nationality(M:F 50:55),5 to 20 y of age, who were randomly selected from 3schools in Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.Parameters studied included endothelial cell density,mean cell area, coefficient of variation in cell size,percentage hexagonality and central corneal thickness. RESULTS: Endothelial cell density, mean cell area,coefficient of variation in cell size, percentage hexagonality and central corneal thickness in the study population were(2969.50 ±253.93) cells/mm2,(339.23 ±29.44) μm2,(29.96 ±4.07) %,(64.58 ±9.41) % and(523.71 ±32.82) μm in Maonan and(2998.26 ±262.65) cells/mm2,(336.11±30.07) μm2,(29.89±5.03) %,(64.91±11.64) % and(524.39 ±33.15) μm in Han, respectively. No significant differences were observed in endothelial cell density,mean cell area, coefficient of variation in cell size,percentage hexagonality and central corneal thickness between Maonan and Han(P =0.615, 0.659, 0.528, 0.551,0.999). In Maonan and Han, we found age was negatively correlated with endothelial cell density and percentagehexagonality and positively correlated with mean cell area and coefficient of variation in cell size. Negative correlation was also found between central corneal thickness and age in Han, whereas no correlation was found in Maonan. CONCLUSION: There were no differences between Maonan and Han in corneal endothelial cell density and morphology and central corneal thickness. In these two nationalities, there were statistically significant decrease in endothelial cell density and percentage hexagonality with increasing age and statistically significant increase in cell area and coefficient of variation in cell size with increasing age. Central corneal thinned with increasing age in Han, whereas difference did not attain statistical significance in Maonan.

Changes in endothelial cell density following penetrating keratoplasty and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty

· AIM: To compare the corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) of clear grafts after penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). · METHODS: The study included 44 and 54 patients treated with PK and DALK, respectively, between March 2006 and April 2010. Corneal ECD was examined using specular microscopy at postoperative 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months, and the values were compared. · RESULTS: Corneal ECD reduction in the PK group was 7.4%, 15.2%, 23.5%, and 28.9% at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months respectively after surgery, compared with 4.2 % in the first month (P <0.01). These figures were 3.0%, 6.7%, 7.2%, and 7.7% at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months respectively, compared with 2.2 % in the first month in the DALK group (P >0.05). · CONCLUSION: Compared with DALK,PK significantly reduced ECD of the clear grafts. These results suggest that survival of endothelial cells in grafts is better after DALK than after PK. ·

Destructive effects on endothelial cells of grafts in cytomegalovirus DNA-positive patients after keratoplasty

AIM:To investigate corneal graft survival rate and endothelial cell density(ECD)loss after keratoplasty in cytomegalovirus(CMV)positive patients.METHODS:This was a retrospective cohort study.We analyzed the clinical data of patients who underwent viral DNA detection in aqueous humor/corneal tissue collected during keratoplasty from March 2015 to December 2018 at the Peking University Third Hospital,Beijing,China.To further evaluate the effect of CMV on graft survival rate and ECD loss,patients were divided into three groups:1)CMV DNA positive(CMV+)group;2)viral DNA negative(virus-)group,comprising virus-group eyes pairwise matched to eyes in the CMV+group according to ocular comorbidities;3)control group,comprising virus-group eyes without ocular comorbidities.The follow-up indicators including graft survival rate,ECD,ECD loss,and central corneal thickness(CCT),were analyzed by Tukey honestly significant difference(HSD)test.RESULTS:Each group included 29 cases.The graft survival rate in CMV+group were lowest among the three groups(P=0.000).No significant difference in donor graft ECD was found among three groups(P=0.54).ECD in the CMV+group was lower than the virus-group at 12(P=0.009),and 24mo(P=0.002)after keratoplasties.Furthermore,ECD loss was higher in the CMV+group than in the virus-group in the middle stage(6-12mo)postkeratoplasty(P=0.017),and significantly higher in the early stage(0-6mo)in the virus-group than in the control group(P=0.000).CONCLUSION:CMV reduces the graft survival rate and exerts persistent detrimental effects on the ECD after keratoplasty.The graft ECD loss associate with CMV infection mainly occurrs in the middle stage(6-12mo postoperatively),while ocular comorbidities mainly affects ECD in the early stage(0-6mo postoperatively).

Vascular endothelial growth factor 165b expression in stromal cells and colorectal cancer

AIM:To characterize the implications of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-A in stromal cells and colorectal cancer and the expression of VEGF-A splice variants.METHODS:VEGF-A expression in tumor and stromal cells from 165 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer was examined by immunohistochemistry.The association between VEGF-A expression status and clinicopathological factors was investigated.Twenty freshfrozen samples were obtained for laser capture microdissection to analyze the splice variants of VEGF-A.RESULTS:VEGF-A was expressed in 53.9% and 42.4% of tumor and stromal cells,respectively.VEGF-A expression in tumor cells(t-VEGF-A) was associated with advanced clinical stage(stage 0,1/9;stage 1,2/16;stage 2,32/55;stage 3,38/66;stage 4,16/19,P < 0.0001).VEGF-A expression in stromal cells(s-VEGF-A) increased in the earlier clinical stage(stage 0,7/9;stage 1,6/16;stage 2,33/55;stage 3,22/66;stage 4,5/19;P = 0.004).Multivariate analyses for risk factors of recurrence showed that only s-VEGF-A expression was an independent risk factor for recurrence(relative risk 0.309,95% confidence interval 0.141-0.676,P = 0.0033).The five-year disease-free survival(DFS) rates of t-VEGF-A-positive and-negative cases were 51.4% and 62.9%,respectively.There was no significant difference in t-VEGF-A expression status.The five-year DFS rates of s-VEGF-A-positive and-negative cases were 73.8% and 39.9%,respectively.s-VEGFA-positive cases had significantly better survival than s-VEGF-A-negative cases(P = 0.0005).Splice variant analysis revealed that t-VEGF-A was mainly composed of VEGF165 and that s-VEGF-A included both VEGF165 and VEGF165b.In cases with no venous invasion(v0),the level of VEGF165b mRNA was significantly higher(v0 204.5 ± 122.7,v1 32.5 ± 36.7,v2 2.1 ± 1.7,P = 0.03).The microvessel density tended to be lower in cases with higher VEGF165b mRNA levels.CONCLUSION:s-VEGF-A appears be a good prognostic factor for colorectal cancer and includes VEGF165 and VEGF165b.

Effect of torsional mode phacoemulsification on cornea in eyes with/without pseudoexfoliation

AIM: To evaluate the effect of torsional mode phacoemulsification on central corneal thickness, corneal endothelial cell density, and morphology in eyes with/without pseudoexfoliation(PEX) syndrome.METHODS: Fourty-two consecutive patients with and42 patients without PEX as a control group scheduled for cataract surgery was studied. Phacoemulsification, using OZi L IP system, was performed with quick chop technique. Using noncontact specular microscopy, the central endothelial cell density(ECD), coefficient of variation, percentage of hexagonal cells, and the central corneal thickness(CCT) were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 7 and 30 d.RESULTS: The ECD in PEX syndrome was statistically significantly lower than that in the control group preoperatively and postoperatively(P ≤0.001).Percentage change in ECD was statistically significantly higher in PEX than that in control group after surgery follow up(P ≤0.04).There was no statistically significant difference between both groups comparing percentage of hexagonal cells and coefficient of variation in the cell size before and after the surgery. At 1 and 7d after surgery, percentage change in CCT was statistically significantly higher in PEX group than that in the control group(P ≤0.041).CONCLUSION: Although torsional mode phacoemulsification and intraocular lens(IOL) implantation provided a safe and favorable surgical outcome in patients with/without PEX, torsional phacoemulsification led to significantly higher ECD loss in the PEX group than that in the control group during the whole follow up period.In addition, more corneal swelling in the PEX group than that in the control group during the early postoperative period has indicated that the corneal endothelium, in presence of PEX endotheliopathy, seems to be more susceptible to the effects of phacoemulsification surgeryin eyes with PEX. The increased risk of anterior chamber manipulations in patients with PEX should be taken into account for an increased risk of bullous keratopathy.