title: Baseline donor characteristics in the Cornea Donor Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Cornea Donor Study (CDS) is an ongoing study that is being conducted to determine whether donor age is related to long-term corneal graft survival. Characteristics of the donor population have been evaluated with respect to donor age, endothelial cell density, and death to preservation interval.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within the context of a prospective, double-masked, controlled trial, 1101 donor corneas were assigned without regard to donor age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slit-lamp characteristics of the donor corneas showed little variation with donor age, except for the presence of corneal arcus. As death to preservation time decreased, fewer epithelial abnormalities and a lower frequency of stromal edema and Descemet folds were observed. There was little change in the mean of the endothelial cell density with donor age beyond age 60, despite variation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With respect to donor age, there was little difference in either the slit-lamp characteristics or endothelial cell density of the donor corneas. Fewer epithelial abnormalities were observed with shorter death to preservation time.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugar
authors.forename: Robin L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: roy W
authors.initials: rW
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Katrina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ruedy
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Blanton
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Feder
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hardten
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Jonathan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lass
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mannis
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: O'Keefe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009926:Organ Preservation; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement