title: Decreased density of corneal basal epithelium and subbasal corneal nerve bundle changes in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define alterations in the density of corneal basal epithelium in relation to diabetic retinopathic severity and the alteration of corneal innervation using confocal microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two type II diabetic patients stratified into nondiabetic (NDR), nonproliferative diabetic (NPDR), and proliferative diabetic (PDR) retinopathy and 14 age-matched healthy control subjects were studied. Epithelial and stromal cell densities and subbasal nerves were investigated by confocal microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Corneal basal epithelial cell density (P = .0001), nerve fiber density (NFD) (P < .0001), nerve branch density (NBD) (P = .0003), and tortuosity coefficient (Tc) (P < .0001) were significantly different among the four groups. Basal epithelial density was significantly correlated with NFD (r = 0.43, P = .0009), NBD (r = 0.36, P = .007), and TC (r = -0.58, P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with diabetes show alterations in corneal innervations and basal epithelial cell density in different retinopathic stages. We demonstrate that reduced density in basal epithelial cell is correlated with changes in innervation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Yao
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hyman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carrel
authors.forename: Jen-Shang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: I-Jong
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Chih
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Wei-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiun-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fung-Rong
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D003315:Cornea / Q000294:innervation*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009882:Ophthalmic Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies