Comparison of visual outcomes, keratometric parameters and biomechanical profiles between deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty with big-bubble technique vs. Melles technique for keratoconus: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Comparing results of two different DALK surgery techniques (big bubble vs. Melles) in patients with advanced keratoconus. DESIGN: a retrospective comparative clinical study. PARTICIPANTS: This study conducted on 72 eyes of 72 participants. INTRODUCTION: This study designed to compare the results of two different DALK surgery techniques (big bubble vs. Melles) in patients with advanced keratoconus. METHOD: Thirty-seven eyes were treated using the big bubble DALK method, while 35 eyes were treated using the Melles approach. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected spectacle visual acuity (BCSVA), manifest refraction, keratometric characteristics, contrast sensitivity, corneal aberrations, corneal biomechanical characteristics, and endothelial cell profile are the outcome measurements. RESULTS: Mean UCVA in big bubble group was 0.61 ± 25 LogMAR and in Melles group was 0.89 ± 0.41 LogMAR (p-value 0.043). Mean BCSVA in big bubble group (0.18 ± 0.12 Log MAR) was significantly better than Melles group (0.35 ± 0.16 Log MAR). Mean of sphere and cylinder refraction showed no significant difference between two groups. Comparing the endothelial cell profile, corneal aberrations, corneal biomechanical properties and keratometry had no significantdifferences. Contrast sensitivity reported as modulation transfer function (MTF) showed higher values in big bubble group and differences with Melles group weresignificant. Results of point spread function (PSF) in big bubble group had superiority to Melles group with considerable statistical P value of 0.023. CONCLUSION: When opposed to the Melles approach, the big bubble technique generates a smooth interface with less stromal residue, which results in higher visual quality and contrast sensitivity.

Determination of efficacy of repeated CXL and probable risk factors in patients with progressive keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of Repeated CXL (Re-CXL) and determine probable risk factors that lead to Re-CXL in patients with progressive keratoconus. METHOD: In this retrospective study, the medical records of patients who had been re-operated in our center between 2014 to 2020 due to progressive keratoconus were evaluated; seven eyes of seven patients had undergone Re-CXL procedure. Pre- and post-treatment variables were recorded and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software. RESULTS: The mean interval between the 1st and 2nd CXL was 49.71 months (range 12-72 months). Out of 7 patients for whom Re-CXL was considered necessary, eye rubbing was detected in 6 patients. Six patients were very young with a mean age of 13 years at primary CXL and 16.83 years at Re-CXL. Visual acuity and astigmatism did not change significantly after the Re-CXL procedure (p-values = 0.18, 0.91, respectively). When measurements of these indices prior to Re-CXL and post Re-CXL were compared, K1 (p-value = 0.01), K2 (p-value = 0.01), Kmean (p-value = 0.01), and Kmax (p-value = 0.008) changed significantly. As to pachymetry (p-value = 0.46), it did not change significantly. Kmax value regressed in all eyes after Re-CXL. CONCLUSION: Re-CXL procedure was effective in halting the progression of disease. As to the risk factors, eye rubbed-related mechanism like eye rubbing and VKC, lower age, and pre-operative Kmax value > 58 D are the risk factors of Re-CXL procedure.

EFFECT OF PANRETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION ON CORNEAL SENSATION AND TEAR FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the early effects of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) on corneal sensation and dry eye signs in patients with diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Fifty patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and very severe nonproliferative or non-high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy who required PRP for the treatment of their retinal condition were enrolled. All patients were treated using a pattern PRP device. Esthesiometry, tear breakup time test, Schirmer test, and corneal staining pattern were evaluated at baseline and 2 months after the last session of PRP. RESULTS: Data from 88 eyes of 50 patients (41 right eyes and 47 left eyes) were analyzed. The mean tear breakup time test (right eyes) was decreased from 9.51 at baseline to 7.66 seconds after PRP (P < 0.001). The post-PRP eyes showed more advanced grades of corneal staining than pre-PRP assessment (P < 0.001). The average value of Schirmer test was 14.39 versus 12.29 mm (without anesthesia; P < 0.001) and 8.17 versus 7.15 mm (with anesthesia, P < 0.001) for baseline versus post-PRP measurements, respectively. The corneal sensation also showed decrease after laser therapy (4.93 versus 4.31 cm; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that decreased corneal sensation and signs of dry eye are more common immediately after PRP for diabetic retinopathy. These conditions should be discussed with the patient preoperatively and managed postoperatively.

Invited review: Incidence, risk factors, and effects of clinical mastitis recurrence in dairy cows.

Clinical mastitis (CM) is one of the most frequent and costly diseases in dairy cows. A frustrating aspect of CM is its recurrent nature. This review was conducted to synthesize knowledge on risk of repeated cases of CM, effects of recurrent CM cases, and risk factors for CM recurrence. A systematic review methodology was used to identify articles for this narrative review. Searches were performed to identify relevant scientific literature published after 1989 in English or French from 2 databases (PubMed and CAB Abstracts) and 1 search platform (Web of Science). Fifty-seven manuscripts were selected for qualitative synthesis according to the inclusion criteria. Among the 57 manuscripts selected in this review, a description of CM recurrence, its risk factors, and effects were investigated and reported in 33, 37, and 19 selected manuscripts, respectively. Meta-analysis and meta-regression analyses were used to compute risk ratio comparing risk of CM in cows that already had 1 CM event in the current lactation with risk of CM in healthy cows. For these analyses, 9 manuscripts that reported the total number of lactations followed and the number of lactations with ≤1 and ≤2 CM cases were used. When summarizing results from studies requiring ≥5 d between CM events to consider a CM event as a new case, we observed no significant change in CM susceptibility following a first CM case (risk ratio: 0.99; 95% confidence interval: 0.86-1.14). However, for studies using a more liberal CM recurrence definition (i.e., only 24 h between CM events to consider new CM cases), we observed a 1.54 times greater CM risk (95% confidence interval: 1.20-1.97) for cows that already had 1 CM event in the current lactation compared with healthy cows. The most important risk factors for CM recurrence were parity (i.e., higher risk in older cows), a higher milk production, pathogen species involved in the preceding case, and whether a bacteriological cure was observed following the preceding case. The most important effects of recurrent CM were the milk yield reduction following a recurrent CM case, which was reported to be similar to that of the first CM case, and the increased risk of culling and mortality, which were reported to surpass those of first CM cases.

Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and virulotyping of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from open-air fish markets.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characterization of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from raw fish and open-air fish market environments. Eight hundred and sixty two samples including raw fish and fish market environments (samples from workers' hands, workers' knives, containers and work surface) were collected from the open-air fish markets in the Northern region of Iran. RESULTS: Listeria spp. was isolated from 104/488 (21.3%) raw fish and 29/374 (7.8%) of samples from open-air fish market environment. The isolates of Listeria spp. included L. innocua (35.3%), L. monocytogenes (32.3%), L. seeligeri (18%), and L. ivanovii (14.3%). Of the 43 L. monocytogenes isolates, 31 (72.1%), 10 (23.3%) and 2 (4.7%) belonged to serovars 1/2a, 4b, and 1/2b, respectively. The inlA, inlB, inlC, inlJ, actA, hlyA, iap, plcA, and prfA virulence-associated genes were detected in almost all of the L. monocytogenes isolates. The Listeria spp. isolates showed high resistance against tetracycline (23.3%), penicillin G, and cephalothin (each 16.5%). Besides, we observed significant resistance level to tetracycline (27.9%), ampicillin (20.9%), cephalothin, penicillin G, and streptomycin (each 16.3%) in the L. monocytogenes isolates. All of the isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, gentamicin, kanamycin, and pefloxacin. We found that tetM (25.6%), tetA (23.3%), ampC (14%), and penA (11.6%) were the most prevalent antibiotic resistance genes in the L. monocytogenes isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Recovery of potentially pathogenic L. monocytogenes from raw fish and environment of open-air fish market samples in this study is a convincing evidence for the zoonotic potential of listeriosis.

Prevalence, characterization, and antimicrobial resistance of Yersinia species and Yersinia enterocolitica isolated from raw milk in farm bulk tanks.

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and to characterize and determine the antibiotic resistance of Yersinia spp. isolates from raw milk. From September 2008 to August 2010, 446 raw milk samples were obtained from farm bulk milk tanks in Varamin, Iran. Yersinia spp. were detected in 29 (6.5%) samples, out of which 23 (79.3%), 5 (17.2%), and 1 (3.4%) were isolated from cow, sheep, and goat raw milk, respectively. The most common species isolated was Yersinia enterocolitica (65.5%), followed by Yersinia frederiksenii (31%), and Yersinia kristensenii (3.4%). Of the 19 Y. enterocolitica isolates, 14 (73.7%) were grouped into bioserotype 1A/O:9, 4 (21.1%) belonged to bioserotype 1B:O8, 1 (5.3%) belonged to bioserotype 4/O:3, and 1 isolate (biotype 1A) was not typable. All the isolates of biotypes 1B and 4harbored both the ystA and ail genes. However, all the isolates of biotype 1A were only positive for the ystB gene. The tested Yersinia spp. showed the highest percentages of resistance to tetracycline (48.3%), followed by ciprofloxacin and cephalothin (each 17.2%), ampicillin (13.8%), streptomycin (6.9%), and amoxicillin and nalidixic acid (each 3.4%). All of the tested isolates demonstrated significant sensitivity to gentamicin and chloramphenicol. Recovery of potentially pathogenic Y. enterocolitica from raw milk indicates high risks of yersiniosis associated with consumption of raw milk.

Short communication: prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine clinical mastitis.

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine clinical mastitis in Varamin, Tehran Province, Iran. All of the isolated Staph. aureus were identified by morphology and culture and confirmed using the API Staph identification system (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France). Antibiotic resistance genes were detected by PCR with oligonucleotide primers specific for each gene. Staphylococcus aureus was recovered from 43 of 207 (20.1%) bovine clinical milk samples. Using disk diffusion, methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus was detected in 5 of 43 (11.6%) samples. The pathogen showed high resistance against penicillin G (86%) and tetracycline (76.7%). The blaZ (penicillin) (86%), tetM (tetracycline), and ermC (erythromycin) genes (39.5% each) were the most prevalent antibiotic resistance genes. The findings of this study are useful for designing specific control programs for bovine clinical mastitis caused by Staph. aureus in this region of Iran.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia species isolates in ducks and geese.

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp. isolated from duck and goose intestinal contents. A total of 471 samples, including 291 duck and 180 goose intestinal contents, were purchased from wet markets between November 2008 and July 2010. Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp. were isolated from 58 (12.3%), 107 (22.7%), and 80 (17%) of the samples, respectively. It was concluded that Listeria ivanovii, Salmonella Thompson, and Yersinia enterocolitica were the predominant serovars among Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp., respectively. Moreover, resistance to tetracycline was common in Listeria (48.3%) and Salmonella spp. (63.6%), whereas 51.3% of the Yersinia spp. isolates were resistant to cephalothin. Therefore, continued surveillance of the prevalence of the pathogens and also of emerging antibiotic resistance is needed to render possible the recognition of foods that may represent risks and also ensure the effective treatment of listeriosis, salmonellosis, and yersiniosis.

C.P titanium/Ti-6Al-4V joint by spark plasma welding: Microstructure and mechanical properties.

The welding ability of Ti-6Al-4V alloy is weak due to their two-phase microstructure. On the other hand, friction welding methods lead to significant microstructural changes. In this research, for the first time, pure titanium was successfully joined to the Ti-6Al-4V alloy, without any change in the microstructure and mechanical properties of both alloys, by applying the SPW method. Further, the effects of temperature, pressure, and time of the SPW process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of commercial pure (C.P) titanium joined to the Ti-6Al-4V alloy were investigated. The results indicated that the effect of temperature and pressure on the SPW process was greater than that of time. Further, mechanical properties investigations showed that the yield strength of the joint interface was larger than that of the substrate metal, following which necking and fracture occurred in the pure titanium substrate metal. The alloy (Ti-Ti64) bonded at 800 °C, with a time of 10 min and pressure of 20 MPa, exhibited the superior bonding of 7-9 µm interface thickness, and excellent tensile strength (534 ± 13 MPa) and Vickers micro-hardness (190 ± 5 HV0.1). Investigation of the effect of pressure (normal stress) also showed that with an increase in pressure, because of the reduction of the chemical potential of diffusing species, the joint temperature would drop, and the joint could be created at a temperature below 800 °C.

Serum androgens and prolactin levels in patients with keratoconus.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There is growing evidence for the involvement of sex hormones in the pathogenesis of keratoconus. BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate serum androgen and prolactin levels in patients suffering from keratoconus. METHODS: One hundred and two subjects were enrolled in the keratoconus (76 patients) and control (26 subjects) groups in a cross-sectional survey. Topographic evaluation of the cornea was undertaken for all enrolled participants. Serum testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), prolactin (PRL), luteinising hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics between the study groups. Significantly higher mean serum levels of DHEAS (3.71 ± 2.23 vs. 2.53 ± 1.77 µg/mL; P = 0.009) and T (6.18 ± 3.80 vs. 1.57 ± 1.76 ng/mL; P < 0.001) were observed in men with keratoconus compared to controls. In females, there were also higher mean levels of DHEAS (2.40 ± 1.57 vs. 2.18 ± 0.72 µg/mL; P = 0.355) and T (0.78 ± 0.96 vs. 0.32 ± 0.13 ng/mL; P < 0.001) in patients with keratoconus but only T level reached the statistically significant level of difference. Also, the mean serum PRL level was significantly higher in women with keratoconus compared to control (13.33 ± 17.85 vs. 4.63 ± 3.10 ng/mL; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between serum FSH and LH levels between study groups. CONCLUSION: In patients with keratoconus, serum PRL in females and serum androgen levels in both genders are elevated.

Suprachoroidal hemorrhage during phacoemulsification surgery associated with recent COVID-19: A report of two cases.

To report two cases of suprachoroidal hemorrhage during otherwise uncomplicated phacoemulsification, in whom COVID-19 was documented with a positive PCR test about 1 month before the surgery and the importance of postponing elective surgeries for several months after infection.

Effect of topical povidone-iodine 10% plus levofloxacin 0.5% 1 hour before cataract surgery in eliminating perioperative conjunctival flora: randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of a single administration of topical povidone-iodine (PVI) 10% plus levofloxacin 0.5% at 1 hour before cataract surgery on perioperative elimination rate of conjunctival flora. SETTING: Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Shiraz, Iran. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. METHOD: Patients who required cataract surgery were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: intervention (administration of PVI 10% plus levofloxacin 0.5% at 1 hour preoperatively) or control. The patients in both groups received PVI just before the operation. Conjunctival cultures were obtained using thioglycollate broth at 4 timepoints: T1, before intervention; T2, before the second application of PVI; T3, 3 minutes after the second administration of PVI; and T4, just postoperatively. RESULTS: The study comprised 142 patients. The comparative rates of positive cultures in the intervention vs control groups were as follows: T1 (70.4% vs 73.2%, P = .709); T2 (15.5% vs 71.8%, P < .001); T3 (7.0% vs 19.7%, P = .027); and T4 (5.6% vs 4.2%, P = .698). Coagulase-negative Staphylococci was the most common isolated microorganism. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that a single adjuvant application of PVI 10% plus levofloxacin 0.5% eyedrops at 1 hour before operation leads to a further increase in the rate of sterile conjunctiva just preoperatively.

Clinical Outcomes of Silk versus Nylon Sutures for Suturing of Conjunctival Autograft in Pterygium Surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to compare the clinical results of using silk versus nylon sutures for conjunctival autograft suturing in pterygium surgery. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical trial 50 eyes from 50 patients with primary nasal pterygium were randomized to undergo pterygium surgery with the use of either nylon sutures or silk sutures for conjunctival autograft suturing. Patients were followed up for 6 months. Main outcome measures included recurrence, postoperative discomfort according to a visual analog scale (VAS), graft hyperemia, and graft edema. RESULTS: According to the results, there was no significant difference between groups regarding recurrence rate of pterygium (P = 0.72). A significant decrease in the mean VAS discomfort score from day 1 to day 14 was observed in both groups (P = 0.001); postoperative discomfort during the first 2 weeks, was not significantly different between the two groups. At 2 weeks' postoperatively, significantly greater number of nylon sutures remained on the autograft (P = 0.021), some of which were buried and could not be removed. CONCLUSION: Both silk and nylon are effective suture materials for autograft suturing in pterygium surgery with similar postoperative discomfort and recurrence rate. Significantly greater number of nylon sutures remains buried on the autograft and could not be removed easily.

Indications and Surgical Techniques for Corneal Transplantation at a Tertiary Referral Center.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to review the indications and techniques for corneal transplantation at a tertiary referral center over a 5-year period. METHODS: Records of patients who underwent corneal transplantation at Khalili Medical Center, Shiraz, Iran from September, 2012 to September, 2017 were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 1149 eyes of 956 patients underwent corneal transplantation. The most common indication was infectious corneal ulcers (n = 296, 25.8%), followed by keratoconus (n = 243, 21.1%), bullous keratopathy (n = 219, 19.1%), failed grafts (n = 117, 10.2%), non-herpetic corneal scars (n = 113, 9.8%), corneal stromal dystrophies (n = 33, 2.9%), pellucid marginal degeneration (n = 31, 2.7%), and trauma (n = 26, 2.3%); other indications included thin descemetocele, post-herpetic corneal scar, endothelial corneal dystrophies, anterior segment dysgenesis, corneal ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis, and corneal fibrosis. Corneal transplantation techniques included penetrating keratoplasty (PKP, n = 789, 68.7%), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK, n = 187, 16.3%), Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (n = 171, 14.9%), and keratolimbal allograft (n = 2, 0.1%) in descending order. In children (aged ≤18 years), the most common indication was keratoconus (n = 32, 41.6%), and the most common technique was PKP (n = 50, 64.9%). In patients aged 19-27 years, the most common indication was keratoconus (n = 89, 64.5%), and the most common technique was PKP (n = 75, 54.4%). CONCLUSION: Infectious corneal ulcer was the most common indication, and PKP was the most prevalent technique in patients undergoing corneal transplantation. DALK was an emerging alternative surgical treatment in patients with corneal disorders in which corneal endothelium is spared.

CXCR4 membrane expression in node-negative breast cancer.

CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) has been reported to be involved in organ-specific homing of breast cancer-derived metastasis. We investigated CXCR4 expression by immunohistochemistry as a possible new prognostic factor for primary breast cancer. Two groups of women treated for breast cancer in 1991 at the Centre for the fight against cancer of Upper Normandy-France (Centre de Lutte contre le Cancer de Haute Normandie) were assessed retrospectively. CXCR4 expression was evaluated using standard immunohistochemistry. Usual prognostic factors were recorded in the computer database. Final date of follow-up was December 31, 2001. Tissues were available for 110 node-positive and 84 node-negative breast cancer patients treated in 1991. CXCR4 membrane staining was considered a strong prognostic factor for both 10-year metastasis-free- (p < 0.0001) and overall survival (p < 0.0001) in node-negative but not in node-positive breast cancer patients. CXCR4 cytoplasmic staining was not considered a significant prognostic factor. Our results suggest that CXCR4 membrane staining could be considered a new prognostic factor. Moreover, targeting CXCR4 in primary breast cancer patients may be a new therapeutic concept. However, these results warrant further investigation.

Identification and frequency of the associated genes with virulence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from cow's milk presenting mastitis pathology.

Antimicrobial resistance, genotype, and virulence gene content of Escherichia coli isolated from bovine clinical mastitis in Tehran Province, Iran, were studied. Two hundred seven (207) milk samples from individual cows presenting mastitis symptoms collected from different dairy farms were used to determine the presence of specific genes of E. coli responsible for this pathology. Multiplex PCR was used to differentiate E. coli isolates into different phylogenetic groups/subgroups and to detect their virulence and involved resistance genes. All the isolated strains were tested for the susceptibility to 21 antimicrobial agents. The results showed that E. coli was detected in 42 (20.3%) samples and 69% of them belonged to the phylogenetic groups A and B1. The phylogenetic subgroup A1 (31%) and subgroup B1 (28.6%) demonstrated the highest prevalence of virulence genes (f17c-A, and eae (n = 6), f17b-A, and f17d-A (n = 5), afaD-8, afaE-8, aucD, and bfpA (n = 4), clpG and VT (n = 2), and LT and ST genes (n = 1)). The highest antimicrobial resistance was observed for tetracycline (45.2%) followed by streptomycin (26.2%). The antimicrobial resistance genes tetB (31%), tetA (28.6%), and aadA (26.2%) were the most prevalent. Moreover, integron class 1 and 2 were found in 24 (57.1%) and 8 (19%) of the E. coli isolates.

Consanguineous Marriage as a Risk Factor for Developing Keratoconus.

Heredity plays an important role in keratoconus (KC). Consanguineous marriage (CM) can affect the transmission of recessively inherited conditions. We aimed to investigate the role of consanguineous marriage in the development of KC. This study included two groups: the first group comprised 415 patients who underwent surgery for KC for the first time at Khalili University Hospital (Shiraz, Iran), between 2010 and 2014; the second group comprised 415 healthy individuals who served as age- and sex-matched controls for the patient group. All study subjects were from the Fars province in Iran. CM type was evaluated by a standard checklist in both groups. The mean inbreeding coefficient (α) was evaluated and compared between the two groups. The percentage of parental first-cousin marriages was 35.4% in the patient group and 18.3% in the control group. The mean inbreeding coefficient (α) was 0.0291 in the patient group and 0.0135 in the control group. Patients with KC had a significantly higher mean inbreeding coefficient (α) than controls (T = 8, df = 828, P < 0.001). Our study suggests that CM can play a role in the pathogenesis of KC. As this disease is among the most frequent ocular disorders in our country, CM should be considered by health care systems within their screening programs.

Effects of Laser Peripheral Iridotomy on Corneal Endothelial Cell Density and Cell Morphology in Primary Angle Closure Suspect Subjects.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of prophylactic laser peripheral iridotomy on corneal endothelial cell density and cell morphology in subjects with primary angle closure suspect (PACS) within a one-year follow-up period. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental prospective study, from June 2012 to November 2013, thirty-five PACS eyes underwent laser peripheral iridotomy at clinics affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. After obtaining informed consent, specular microscopy was performed at baseline and at 3-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-up visits. Central, nasal and temporal endothelial cell counts and cell morphology were evaluated via non-contact specular microscopy. RESULTS: The mean subject age was 53.4 ± 7.9 years, and the majority of subjects were women (88.2%). The mean central corneal endothelial cell count prior to laser peripheral iridotomy was 2528 ± 119.2, and this value changed to 2470 ± 175.9, 2425 ± 150.6, and 2407 ± 69.02 at the 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up visits, respectively; these differences did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, the changes in the number of cells, the hexagonality of cells, and the coefficient of variation (CV) in the central, nasal, and temporal areas were not significant. CONCLUSION: In PACS eyes, we did not find a decline in corneal endothelial cell density or a change in cell morphological characteristics, including cell hexagonality and CV, in the central, nasal, and temporal regions of the cornea in any of our subjects over a one-year follow-up period.

Correlation Between Intraocular Pressure and Central Corneal Thickness in Persian Children.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine intraocular pressure (IOP) and central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements in healthy Persian children to find clinical reference values in this ethnicity. Additionally, we examined the possible relationship between these measurements. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 262 eyes of 131 Persian primary school children between 6 and 13 years of age. All eyes were healthy and had no anterior or posterior segment abnormalities, corneal disease, or evidence of glaucoma. Specular microscopy was used to measure CCT and both noncontact tonometry (NCT) and Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) were used to measure IOP. Correlations between IOP measurements were also examined. RESULTS: Mean CCT was 513.47 ± 34.51 µm in the right eye (OD) and 513.93 ± 33.88 µm in the left eye (OS). The CCT was not significantly different between older (10-13 years) and younger (6-9 years) patients. Mean IOP measured with GAT was 13.86 ± 2.13 mmHg OD and 13.72 ± 2.04 mmHg OS and mean IOP measured with NCT was 15.26 ± 2.38 mmHg OD and 15.11 ± 2.18 mmHg OS. The IOP and CCT measured with GAT were weakly correlated (OD: r = 0.141, P = 0.114; OS: r = 0.236, P = 0.007). However, IOP and CCT measured with NCT (OD: r = 0.487, P = 0.000; OS: r = 0.456, P = 0.000) were moderately correlated. Our outcomes demonstrated that for 100 µm increase in CCT, IOP measured with GAT and NCT increased by 0.8 and 3.3 mmHg, respectively, in OD and by 1.4 and 2.9 mmHg in OS. Based on intraclass correlation coefficients, IOP measurements made with GAT and NCT were in fair agreement in OD and in good agreement in OS. CONCLUSION: The IOP and CCT in healthy Persian school children (6-13 years old) were positively correlated. Our findings revealed that corneal thickness is thinner in Persian children than in most other racial groups. FUNDING: This study has been funded by deputy dean in research of School of Medicine and deputy vice chancellor of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.