Chronic and delayed mustard gas keratopathy: a histopathologic and immunohistochemical study.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To specify histopathologic and immunohistochemical features of chronic and delayed mustard gas keratopathy. METHODS: Corneal buttons from patients with chronic and delayed mustard gas keratopathy were examined for routine histopathology, special histologic stainings, and immunohistochemistry for CD31 and CD68. RESULTS: Twenty-five corneal buttons from 25 patients with chronic and delayed mustard gas keratopathy were evaluated. Irregular epithelial thickness (100%), degenerative changes (24) (96%), thickened epithelial basement membrane (23) (92%), keratocytes loss (18) (72%), and destroyed Bowman layer (18) (72%) were predominant histopathologic features. Amyloid degeneration was the most commonly observed degenerative change in the specimens (83%). Immunoreactivity for CD68 and CD31 was detected in 88% and 56%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this observational case series, although all corneal layers from epithelium to the endothelium were involved from mild to severe degrees, the anterior corneal layers were more affected on histopathology than the posterior parts in chronic and delayed mustard gas keratopathy.