Alterations in corneal endothelium in diabetic patients with microalbuminuria

Session Details

Session Title: Anterior Segment Imaging II

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 25/09/2018 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 08:12

Venue: Room A4

First Author: : I.Toprak TURKEY

Co Author(s): :    S. Fenkci   G. Fidan Yaylali   C. Martin   V. Yaylali           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Microalbuminuria (MA) is accepted as an important marker of early diabetic nephropathy and systemic endothelial dysfunction. The aim of the present study is to determine whether corneal endothelium is affected in diabetic patients with MA using specular microscopy (SM).

Setting:

Pamukkale University Hospital

Methods:

Forty-nine diabetic patients were included into this prospective study. Subjects were grouped as MA (+) and MA (-) based on presence of MA (urine excretion of 30–300 mg of albumin/24 hours or 30–300 mcg/mg creatinine). Corneal endothelium is evaluated using a non-contact SM (Nidek CEM-530, Nidek Co. LTD., Gamagori, Aichi, Japan). Age, endothelial cell density (CD), average area (AVG), standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), maximum area (MAX), minimum area (MIN), hexagonal cells (HEX) and corneal thickness (CT) were compared between the two groups. Right eyes were used for the statistical analysis.

Results:

The study comprised 49 diabetic patients with a mean age of 53.4±11.3 years. Twenty-three subjects had MA (54.4±12.9 years of age) and 26 patients were MA (-) (52.5±9.9 years of age). In terms of corneal parameters, MA (+) group (n=23 eyes) had significantly higher CD value (2448.6±241.7 vs. 2336.2±221.8 cells/mm2, p= 0,030) and lower AVG (412.6±44.8 vs. 431.7±39.6 µm2, p= 0,031) than in the MA (-) group (n=26 eyes). Age, SD, CV, MAX, MIN, HEX and CT values did not differ between the two groups (p>0.05).

Conclusions:

MA has been found to be strongly associated with generalized endothelial dysfunction. The rationale of this study was to reveal changes in corneal endothelium in diabetic MA. The present study showed no significant deterioration in critical parameters of corneal endothelium (endothelial cell density, hexagonality and corneal thickness) in diabetic patients with MA. Interestingly, in these patients, corneal endothelial cells tend to be smaller in size but more in number per square millimeter.

Financial Disclosure:

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