The Effect of Smoking on Corneal Endothelial Cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of chronic cigarette smoking on the endothelial cells of the cornea via non-contact specular microscopy.


METHODS
In this prospective, cross-sectional study, 25 eyes of 25 chronic smokers and 21 eyes of 21 age-matched, healthy non-smokers were enrolled. The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence on Cigarettes was used to determine the nicotine dependency level. The level of cotinine, a major metabolite of nicotine, was measured in urine samples from the control group to detect whether they were passively affected by cigarette smoke. All participants underwent measurement of tear break-up time (TBUT), central corneal thickness (CCT), and axial length. Endothelial cell density and endothelial cell morphology were evaluated by non-contact specular microscopy.


RESULTS
On average, the cigarette smokers consumed 19.2 ± 8.3 cigarettes per day and had been smoking for 14.5 ± 6.8 years. The mean TBUT value was significantly lower in the smoker group compared to the non-smoker group (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in the mean CCT, mean endothelial cell density, or parameters of endothelial cell morphology between smokers and non-smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that cigarette smoking seems to affect the TBUT value but no effects were found on the parameters of corneal endothelial cells.
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Selcuk
S
Kara
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Baran
B
Gencer
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Hakan
H
Türkön
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Ismail
I
Ersan
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Yeliz
Y
Ozkanoglu Ekim
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Sedat
S
Arikan
a Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine , Çanakkale , Turkey.
Hasan Ali
HA
Tufan
D000328:Adult; D058452:Axial Length, Eye; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
Central corneal thickness; cigarette; cornea endothelium; cotinine; specular microscopy