Influence of donor storage time on corneal allograft survival.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of graft storage time on corneal allograft survival in high-risk and low-risk patients.


METHODS
Comparative retrospective nonrandomized clinical trial.


METHODS
Overall, 193 patients with 210 corneal allografts were classified as high risk or low risk for corneal allograft rejection on the basis of recipient corneal neovascularization and number of ipsilateral transplants.


METHODS
Data from 3 groups were evaluated. The first group received fresh (no storage in culture medium) corneas, the second received corneas of donor storage time less than 7 days in minimum essential medium (MEM) at 37 degrees C, and the final group received corneas stored in MEM longer than 7 days. Recipients were analyzed for development of immune rejection according to storage time of the corneal tissue. Corneal allograft survival rate was determined with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The log-rank test was used to determine statistical significance.


METHODS
Risk of reversible and irreversible allograft rejection in corneas stored at various intervals in high-corneal and low-corneal transplant patients.


RESULTS
High-risk corneal allograft recipients had a significantly prolonged allograft survival when the tissue was stored for 7 days or greater, compared with recipients receiving fresh tissues. Patients at low risk of corneal allograft rejection also showed a tendency for prolonged survival, although not statistically significant (P = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
Storage of corneal tissue may reduce the frequency of allograft rejection, especially in high-risk patients.
Department of Ophthalmology, Karl-Franzens University Medical School, Graz, Austria.
Michael
M
Simon
Peter
P
Fellner
Yosuf
Y
El-Shabrawi
Navid
N
Ardjomand
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009926:Organ Preservation; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014022:Tissue Survival; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions