title: Changes in corneal endothelial cell density in patients with normal-tension glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes in corneal endothelial cell density in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma compared with those in controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 227 subjects in three groups, one each of normal-tension glaucoma and primary open-angle glaucoma patients and one of normal controls, were studied from January 2008 to July 2008 in the Ophthalmology Department of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. The glaucoma (normal-tension glaucoma and primary open-angle glaucoma) patients included monocular and binocular glaucoma patients. Corneal endothelial cells were examined using a noncontact specular microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean endothelial cell densities in the three groups were as follows: normal-tension glaucoma group, 2696.7+/-303.9 cell/mm2; primary open-angle glaucoma group, 2370.5+/-392.3 cell/mm2; and normal group, 2723.6+/-300.6 cell/mm2. The endothelial cell count was not significantly different between normal-tension glaucoma and normal groups (P=1.000). Primary open-angle glaucoma patients had significantly lower endothelial cell counts (P<0.001) than the normal group. The endothelial cell count was also significantly lower in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma than in normal-tension glaucoma eyes (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a significant decrease in corneal endothelial cell density in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma, but not in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma. Elevated intraocular pressure likely affected the decrease of corneal endothelial cell density in eyes with glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea. kjoonmo@dreamwiz.com.|Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, 108 Pyung-Dong, Jongro-Ku, Seoul, 110-746, Korea. kjoonmo@dreamwiz.com.
authors.forename: Joon Mo
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University School of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D057066:Low Tension Glaucoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies