Study of Corneal Endothelial Cells Related to Duration in Diabetes.

BACKGROUND

The corneal endothelial structure was abnormal in diabetic patients, but there were many factors affecting them.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the corneal endothelial structure including endothelial cell density, hexagonality and polymegathism percentage, in diabetic related to diabetic duration and non-diabetic subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The corneal endothelial structure of diabetic related to diabetic duration and non-diabetic subjects were examined by specular microscope (Confoscan4 CS4, Nidek) included endothelial cell density, hexagonality and polymegathism percentage. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and the unpaired t-test.

RESULTS

There were 271 eyes of 148 diabetic patients with the mean age of 61.04±9.51 years, and 82 eyes of 46 non-diabetic subjects with the mean age of 57.93±11.30 years. The diabetic patients were divided into 3 groups based on diabetic duration (<5 years, 5-10 years, and >10 years). All groups of diabetic endothelial cell density were less than non-diabetic group with statistical significance (p<0.05). In all groups of diabetic, the polymegathism percentage was more than while the hexagonality percentage was less than non-diabetic group with statistical insignificance (p>0.05). All endothelial parameters insignificantly differed between 3 groups of diabetic (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The diabetic corneal endothelial structure was abnormal, especially decreased cell density, compared to the non-diabetic subjects. The abnormalities and diabetic duration were unrelated.