Assessment of Corneal Endothelial Cell Parameters Using Specular Microscopy in Previously Infected SARS-CoV-2 Patients

Overview

Journal Int Ophthalmol

Specialty Ophthalmology

Date 2023 Mar 11

PMID 36906646

Authors

Mohamed Anis Elshalkami

Tarek Mohamed Mahmoud Abdalla

Mona Kamal Abdellatif

Samah Mahmoud Fawzy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the long-term effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on the corneal endothelium.

Methods: This was a comparative, cross-sectional study that included subjects who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least 6 months (group 1) and a group of age- and sex-matched controls with no prior symptomatology or documentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (group 2). After full ophthalmological evaluation, specular microscopy was used to examine the endothelial cell parameters, including endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation, hexagonality, average area, and central corneal thickness.

Results: Sixty-four and 53 right eyes were included in groups 1 and 2, respectively. No statistically significant differences were detected in any of the examined specular parameters between the two groups.

Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infection may have no delayed sequel on the corneal endothelium. Future prospective studies with repeated examinations in the same subjects would be useful.

References

Whitcher J, Srinivasan M, Upadhyay M . Corneal blindness: a global perspective. Bull World Health Organ. 2001; 79(3):214-21. PMC: 2566379. View

Doughty M . Goblet cells of the normal human bulbar conjunctiva and their assessment by impression cytology sampling. Ocul Surf. 2012; 10(3):149-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2012.05.001. View

Muller A, Doughty M . Assessments of corneal endothelial cell density in growing children and its relationship to horizontal corneal diameter. Optom Vis Sci. 2003; 79(12):762-70. DOI: 10.1097/00006324-200212000-00008. View

Qazi Y, Wong G, Monson B, Stringham J, Ambati B . Corneal transparency: genesis, maintenance and dysfunction. Brain Res Bull. 2009; 81(2-3):198-210. PMC: 3077112. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.05.019. View

Zhang K, Zhao L, Zhu C, Nan W, Ding X, Dong Y . The effect of diabetes on corneal endothelium: a meta-analysis. BMC Ophthalmol. 2021; 21(1):78. PMC: 7874671. DOI: 10.1186/s12886-020-01785-3. View

Duman R, Cevik M, Cevik S, Duman R, Perente I . Corneal endothelial cell density in healthy Caucasian population. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2016; 30(4):236-239. PMC: 5161821. DOI: 10.1016/j.sjopt.2016.10.003. View

Feizi S . Corneal endothelial cell dysfunction: etiologies and management. Ther Adv Ophthalmol. 2018; 10:2515841418815802. PMC: 6293368. DOI: 10.1177/2515841418815802. View

Bourne W . Biology of the corneal endothelium in health and disease. Eye (Lond). 2003; 17(8):912-8. DOI: 10.1038/sj.eye.6700559. View

McCarey B, Edelhauser H, Lynn M . Review of corneal endothelial specular microscopy for FDA clinical trials of refractive procedures, surgical devices, and new intraocular drugs and solutions. Cornea. 2008; 27(1):1-16. PMC: 3062434. DOI: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e31815892da. View

10.

Doughty M . Non-contact specular microscopy with Topcon instruments to assess central corneal thickness of healthy human eyes - A 20 year review. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2020; 44(4):101385. DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2020.11.005. View

11.

Ni W, Yang X, Yang D, Bao J, Li R, Xiao Y . Role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in COVID-19. Crit Care. 2020; 24(1):422. PMC: 7356137. DOI: 10.1186/s13054-020-03120-0. View

12.

Chen X, Yu H, Mei T, Chen B, Chen L, Li S . SARS-CoV-2 on the ocular surface: is it truly a novel transmission route?. Br J Ophthalmol. 2020; 105(9):1190-1195. PMC: 8380887. DOI: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316263. View

13.

Erdem S, Karahan M, Ava S, Dursun M, Hazar L, Keklikci U . Examination of the effects of COVID 19 on corneal endothelium. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2021; 259(8):2295-2300. PMC: 8181541. DOI: 10.1007/s00417-021-05259-0. View

14.

Koizumi N, Suzuki T, Uno T, Chihara H, Shiraishi A, Hara Y . Cytomegalovirus as an etiologic factor in corneal endotheliitis. Ophthalmology. 2007; 115(2):292-297.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.04.053. View

15.

Pathai S, Lawn S, Shiels P, Weiss H, Cook C, Wood R . Corneal endothelial cells provide evidence of accelerated cellular senescence associated with HIV infection: a case-control study. PLoS One. 2013; 8(2):e57422. PMC: 3584030. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057422. View

16.

Hossain M, Hassanzadeganroudsari M, Apostolopoulos V . The emergence of new strains of SARS-CoV-2. What does it mean for COVID-19 vaccines?. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2021; 20(6):635-638. PMC: 8074646. DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1915140. View

17.

Maggi E, Canonica G, Moretta L . COVID-19: Unanswered questions on immune response and pathogenesis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020; 146(1):18-22. PMC: 7205667. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.05.001. View

18.

Jiang L, Yang Y, Gandhewar J . Bilateral corneal endothelial failure following COVID-19 pneumonia. BMJ Case Rep. 2021; 14(9). PMC: 8454288. DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-242702. View

19.

Oran D, Topol E . The Proportion of SARS-CoV-2 Infections That Are Asymptomatic : A Systematic Review. Ann Intern Med. 2021; 174(5):655-662. PMC: 7839426. DOI: 10.7326/M20-6976. View