title: Evaluation of corneal endothelial pump function with a cold stress test.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to evaluate corneal endothelial pump function with a cold-stress test.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group was comprised of 16 healthy volunteers (20 eyes), 12 patients with penetrating keratoplasty (15 eyes), 9 patients with decreased corneal sensitivity (9 eyes), and 7 patients with corneal endothelial anomaly (10 eyes). After measuring central corneal sensitivity, endothelial cell density, temperature, and thickness, cold stress was applied for 10 minutes and corneal temperature and thickness were measured again.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After cooling, the average corneal temperature decreased from 34.7 degrees C to 26.0 degrees C. The degree of corneal swelling (percent increase in thickness) for the control, penetrating keratoplasty, decreased corneal sensitivity, and corneal endothelial anomaly groups was 1.25 +/- 0.89, 3.37 +/- 2.44, 4.72 +/- 2.51, and 3.40 +/- 1.92 (% +/- standard deviation), respectively. There was a negative correlation between the degree of corneal swelling and corneal sensitivity, but not endothelial cell density, temperature, or thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal sensitivity is an effective factor in assessing endothelial pump function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. ritoh@za2.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arita
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arita
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mashima
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D002452:Cell Count; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D020433:Trigeminal Nerve Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase