Effect of Anterior Uveitis on Corneal Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Objective: Investigating the impact of anterior uveitis on changes occurring in corneal endothelial cells.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study (cases and controls), the research sample included 43 patients (86 eyes) from the ophthalmic clinic
attendees at Tishreen University Hospital in Latakia during the period 2023-2024.

Results: The average corneal endothelial cell count was lower in the anterior uveitis group, both granulomatous (2074.16±173.70 cells/mm²) and nongranulomatous (2188.38±165.7 cells/mm²) types, compared to the control group (2696.1±136.60 cells/mm²) with a (p-value <0.01) in all age groups studied. The average percentage of hexagonal cells was lower in the both granulomatous (42.41±2.6%) and non- granulomatous (47.0±2.2%) types, compared to the control group (61.4±2.0%) with a (p-value <0.01) in all age groups studied. The average cell volume change coefficient was higher in the anterior uveitis group, both granulomatous (40.16±2.1) and non-granulomatous (34.70±1.08) types, compared to the control group (29.8±1.36) with a (p-value <0.01) in all age groups studied. Host and disease-related characteristics had no effect on the measured results) p-value=0.184(. ECC was negatively correlated to the duration of uveitis (a=-0.513; p-value<0.001), maximum intraocular pressure during the course of disease (a=-0.472; p-value = 0.0001), and the number of attacks (a=-0.515; p-value<0.001).

Conclusion: Corneal endothelial cells are affectd in patients with anterior uveitis, and this negative impact increases with the duration of the disease, the number of attacks, and the presence of elevated intraocular pressure. This negative impact is more pronounced in granulomatous uveitis.