title: Quantitative regional differences in corneal endothelial abnormalities in the central and peripheral zones in Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantitate the regional corneal differences in endothelial abnormalities in Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy at multiple sites, including the peripheral zone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one eyes of 23 patients with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy were studied at Osaka University Hospital. The sizes of the areas of degeneration resulting from guttae were measured using a new noncontact specular microscope in the central cornea, the paracentral zone 0.6 mm from the center, and the peripheral zone 3.7 mm peripheral to the center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of the images covered by the abnormal areas were 71% ± 36% in the center, 68% ± 35% in the paracentral zone, and 33% ± 36% in the peripheral zone. The values in the peripheral zone were significantly (P < 0.001) smaller than in the center and paracentral zones. The percentage of the abnormal area in the peripheral zone was correlated significantly (P < 0.001, R(2) = 0.452) with the disease grade in advanced cases, whereas those in the center or paracentral zones were not. Among the areas of the peripheral zone, the abnormal inferotemporal areas were significantly (P < 0.001) larger than superonasally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy, the corneal endothelium is damaged more severely in the center and paracentral zones than in the peripheral zone, and peripheral measurement can objectively grade the disease. In the peripheral zones, the inferotemporal endothelium is damaged more severely. These findings might provide a new understanding of the disease mechanisms.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Hisataka
authors: H
authors: Fujimoto
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Naoyuki
authors: N
authors: Maeda
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Soma
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Oie
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Shizuka
authors: S
authors: Koh
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Motokazu
authors: M
authors: Tsujikawa
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Kohji
authors: K
authors: Nishida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy; endothelium; peripheral; specular microscopy