Posters

The effect of diabetes mellitus on corneal endothelial cells and central corneal thickness: a case-control study

Poster Details

First Author: P.Papadakou GREECE

Co Author(s):    I. Chatziralli   M. Papathanassiou   C. Siganos   P. Theodossiadis   V. Kozobolis        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the characteristics of corneal endothelial cells and central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), to compare them with those of healthy subjects (controls) and to determine potential factors, affecting the corneal parameters in patients with DM.

Setting:

2nd Department of Ophthalmology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece

Methods:

Participants in this study were 72 patients (137 eyes) with DM and 88 healthy controls (172 eyes). Diabetic patients were further classified into 4 groups depending on severity of diabetic retinopathy (no retinopathy, mild, moderate, severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. All participants underwent non-contact specular microscopy to evaluate corneal endothelium parameters and CCT, while factors affecting endothelial cell density and CCT in patients with DM were also analyzed.

Results:

Patients with DM presented significantly decreased endothelial cell density compared to controls (2388.3±304.7 and 2505.8±259.3 cells/mm2 respectively, p=0.029), while the two groups did not differ significantly in any other measured corneal parameter. The mean CCT was higher in the diabetic group (541.8±39.5 μm) compared to the control group (537.2±35.2 μm), although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.106). In the diabetic group, the multivariate analysis showed a significant association between decreased endothelial cell density and increased HbA1c (p<0.001), longer DM duration (p=0.003) and more severe diabetic retinopathy status (p=0.008).

Conclusions:

Diabetes mellitus seems to affect corneal endothelium, since endothelial cell density was decreased in the diabetic group while duration of disease, HbA1c levels and severity of retinopathy were significantly associated with changes in endothelial cell density and should be taken into account.

Financial Disclosure:

None