Evaluation of corneal endothelial pump function with a cold stress test.
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.
Arita
Reiko
R
Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. ritoh@za2.so-net.ne.jp
Arita
Masanori
M
Kawai
Masataka
M
Mashima
Yukihiko
Y
Yamada
Masakazu
M
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*
D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase