title: Paraoxonase-1 is associated with corneal endothelial cell alterations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationships between the levels of the antioxidant enzyme paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and corneal endothelial alterations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 172 patients with cataract attending our ophthalmology clinic. Based on spirometric analysis, they were segregated into two groups, 110 (64%) with COPD and 62 (36%) without COPD. Corneal endothelial cell morphology was examined by widefield noncontact specular microscopy, which allows measurements of endothelial cell density (ECD), hexagonality, and endothelial cell size coefficient of variation (ECCV). Corneal thickness was measured by noncontact pachimetry. PON1 and plasma TNFα concentrations were analyzed by ELISA. Serum PON1 activity was analyzed by spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with COPD had significant decreases in ECD, hexagonality, and corneal thickness, and a significant increase in ECCV. They also had significant decreases in serum PON1 activity but not in PON1 concentration. Serum PON1 activity showed a significant direct association with ECD, and an inverse association with corneal thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of the present study suggest that PON1 may be involved in the pathophysiology of corneal endothelial alterations in patients with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Service, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: Anabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Heredia
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marsillach
authors.forename: Bharti
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mackness
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mackness
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joven
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camps
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase
keywords: cataracts; corneal endothelial cells; specular microscopy