Posters

Decreased epithelial-to-corneal thickness ratio in healthy fellow eyes of patients with unilateral bullous keratopathy

Poster Details

First Author: D.Maltsev RUSSIA

Co Author(s):    A. Kulikov   E. Kudryashova   M. Burnasheva              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To study the relationship between epithelial (ET) and corneal thickness (CT) in healthy fellow eyes of patients with unilateral bullous keratopathy (BKP) and healthy subjects.

Setting:

This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Military Medical Academy (St.Petersburg).

Methods:

Seventeen BKP patients (9 males, 8 females, 73.2±10.4 years) and 40 healthy individuals (20 males, 20 females, 69.5 ± 9.8 years) were included. All participants received anterior segment optical coherence tomography and specular microscopy with calculation of endothelial cell density. ET, CT, stromal thickness, and ET-to-CT ratio were defined automatically (within 2-mm central area) and measured manually at corneal center.

Results:

In healthy eyes of BKP patients versus eyes of healthy individuals ET was statistically significantly lower (p<0.001) while CT was statistically significantly higher (by 28.9 and 30.9 µm in 2-mm zone and corneal center, respectively). Both 2-mm ET-to-CT ratio (0.091±0.01 and 0.10±0.004, respectively (p<0.001)) and CCT-to-CET ratio (0.083±0.006 and 0.97±0.005, respectively (p<0.0001)) were statistically significantly lower in healthy eyes of BKP patients compared to eyes of healthy individuals. AUC for CET-to-CCT ratio and CET was 0.94 and 0.80, respectively (p=0.01), and for 2-mm ET-to-CT ratio and 2-mm ET 0.91 and 0.80, respectively (p=0.03).

Conclusions:

Decreased СET-to-СCT ratio resulting from simultaneous epithelial thinning and stromal thickening without significant corneal thickening indicates subclinical dysfunction of corneal endothelium in healthy fellow eyes in unilateral BKP patients.

Financial Disclosure:

None