title: Epithelial permeability in corneal grafts by fluorophotometry.
abstract: The epithelial permeability to fluorescein of 27 clear corneal grafts in 23 patients was determined by fluorophotometry at greater than 1 year after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) so as to study the recovery of corneal epithelial function. The mean epithelial permeability of the corneal grafts did not differ significantly from that of normal corneas (0.042 +/- 0.016 and 0.038 +/- 0.017 nm/s, respectively; P greater than 0.3). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that permeability correlated with recipient age but not with donor age (permeability increase, 0.00054 nm/s per year; r = 0.6, P less than 0.005 and r = 0.1, P greater than 0.5, respectively). These results indicate that corneal grafts can regain a normal epithelial barrier function and that recovery of epithelial function is better in young than in old recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Boot
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Best
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Stolwijk
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sterk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D019793:Fluorescein