[Corneal endothelial density in glaucoma patients]

Abstract

Purpose: To asses mean endothelial cell density in glaucoma patients.

Material and methods: Examinations were conducted and registered using the Noncon Robo (Konan) non-contact specular microscope between years 2000 and 2004, in Tadeusz Krwawicz Chair of Ophthalmology and 1st Eye Hospital, Medical University of Lublin. The results of 159 patients (233 eyes) with glaucoma and 37 patients (44 eyes) with pseudoexfoliation syndrome were analyzed. Patients, 22-91 years old, were divided into 8 groups according to the clinical diagnosis and for each group an adequate control group was matched. Statistical analysis was carried out to compare the examined and control groups using the non-parametric U Mann-Whitney test.

Results: Corneal endothelial cell density were significantly lower in all groups of glaucoma patients. There was a significant reduction in cell count in patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma: 2333 +/- 476/mm2, control group (C): 2809 +/- 378/mm2, p< 0.001), acute angle-closure glaucoma 2136 +/- 620/mm2, C. 2780 +/- 384/mm2, p< 0.001, pigmentary glaucoma 2537 +/- 355/mm2, C. 3003 +/- 335/mm2, p< 0.05, juvenile glaucoma 2337 +/- 277/mm2, C. 3001 +/- 168/mm2, p< 0.001, primary open angle glaucoma 2326 +/- 231/mm2, C. 2779 +/- 398/mm2, p< 0.001, normal tension glaucoma 2343 +/- 394/mm2, C. 2732 +/- 356/mm2, p< 0.01, capsular glaucoma 2128 +/- 483/mm2, C. 2753 +/- 354/mm2, p< 0.001 and in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome 2255 +/- 299/mm2, C. 2721 +/- 352/mm2, p< 0.001.

Conclusions: Patients with glaucoma have lower mean corneal endothelial cell density than control groups. The density of corneal endothelial cells depends on the type of glaucoma.