Examination of the effects of COVID 19 on corneal endothelium

Long-Term Corneal Endothelial Parameters of COVID-19 Patients With Ocular Surface Symptoms

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of COVID-19 on corneal endothelial cell morphology in patients with ocular symptoms to assess possible corneal involvement in patients who recovered.

METHODS

The COVID-19 group included patients diagnosed and treated at Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and ocular irritation symptoms. The control group was comprised of age- and sex-matched individuals. The controls had no ocular pathologies. Noncontact specular microscopy (Konan Cell Check SL, Hyogo, Japan) was performed using the center method after 156 ± 16 days of COVID-19 diagnosis. Parameters such as endothelial cell density (ECD), hexagonality (HEX), coefficient of variation, and central corneal thickness were analyzed.

RESULTS

Specular microscopy results of 54 COVID-19 patients with ocular irritation symptoms and 72 controls were evaluated. Ocular symptoms in COVID-19 patients included conjunctival hyperemia, foreign body sensation, tearing, ocular secretion, and chemosis. Mean (±SD) ECD was 2770 ± 31 (cells/mm2) in the COVID-19 group and 2897 ± 26 in the control group, and mean (±SD) HEX was 46.52 ± 6.38 in the COVID-19 group and 58.22 ± 13.94 in the control group. COVID-19 patients exhibited significantly lower endothelial ECD and HEX levels than controls (P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively). Coefficient of variation and central corneal thickness analyses did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 can cause long-term alterations in the corneal endothelial cells, leading to decreased ECD and HEX. Future research should focus on the long-term implications of COVID-19 on the corneal health and visual outcomes.

Manifestations of coronavirus infection disease-19 in anterior eye segment: An up-to-date review

Coronavirus infection disease-19 (COVID-19) is a worldwide catastrophic emergency that first appeared in late 2019, in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is a multitropism disease that first affects lung tissue. However, extrapulmonary manifestations have been suspected from the first COVID-19 cases. The ocular signs and symptoms were from the early changes that occur during the course of the disease. Changes in the anterior eye segment have a relatively higher incidence than the posterior eye segment. Of which, conjunctivitis, COVID-19 pharyngioceratoconjuctivitis, iridocyclitis, corneal punctate epitheliopathy, and pathomorphological changes in the physio-anatomy of the anterior eye segment. The potential pathogenesis includes direct penetration of the virus into the eye (conjunctiva, lumbus, and cornea) or due to a systemic pathway through viremia, as well as due to autoimmune antibodies against the ocular structure (immune privilege). The presence of ocular manifestations of the external anterior fibrous layer suggests a mild course of the disease.

Examination of the Corneal Endothelium in Pediatric Patients With COVID-19

PURPOSE

To investigate the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on the corneal endothelium in children.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 46 pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection and 38 healthy controls. Specular microscopy measurements were analyzed, and measurements were obtained from images showing at least 100 cells with clear borders. Mean endothelial cell density, mean hexagonal cell percentage (HEX), mean coefficient of variation (CV), central corneal thickness, and mean cell area were evaluated.

RESULTS

Specular microscopy data showed that the CV values were 2.442±6.517 in the healthy control group (HCG) and 2.659±5.119 in the COVID-19-affected group (CAG) ( P =0.003). The hexagonality of the HCG and CAG were 6.916±8.271 and 6.683±5.885, respectively ( P =0.011).

CONCLUSION

A decrease in the HEX and an increase in the CV were observed in the corneal specular microscopic examination of children with COVID-19 infection. These results are important in demonstrating the corneal effects of COVID-19 infection in children.

Assessment of corneal endothelial cell parameters using specular microscopy in previously infected SARS-CoV-2 patients

PURPOSE

To examine the long-term effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on the corneal endothelium.

METHODS

This was a comparative, cross-sectional study that included subjects who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least 6 months (group 1) and a group of age- and sex-matched controls with no prior symptomatology or documentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (group 2). After full ophthalmological evaluation, specular microscopy was used to examine the endothelial cell parameters, including endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation, hexagonality, average area, and central corneal thickness.

RESULTS

Sixty-four and 53 right eyes were included in groups 1 and 2, respectively. No statistically significant differences were detected in any of the examined specular parameters between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

SARS-CoV-2 infection may have no delayed sequel on the corneal endothelium. Future prospective studies with repeated examinations in the same subjects would be useful.

Bilateral keratouveitis associated with COVID-19 multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

We report the case of a 16-year-old girl admitted to hospital with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) secondary to COVID-19. Conjunctivitis-like symptoms prompted ocular examination, which demonstrated peripheral confluent corneal opacities and anterior uveitis. Uveitis laboratory investigations were negative, and with topical steroid treatment her signs and symptoms resolved completely. These features may be overlooked in the setting of MIS-C, where patients are systemically unwell and are typically examined at the bedside.

Corneal Endothelial Characteristics in Normal Chinese Han Children and Youngsters: A Study from the Specular Microscopy Descriptions

Objective

To observe the morphological changes of corneal endothelial cells in healthy Chinese children and youngsters and analyze the sensitive and specificity of the endothelial assessments.

Methods

14,670 Chinese healthy volunteers enrolled were examined by specular microscopy, and the endothelial descriptive indexes: the central corneal thickness (CCT), endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation in average cell size (CV), the percentage of regular hexagonal cells (hexagonality, HEX), cell size of minimal cell (S_min), cell size of maximal cell (S_max), average cell size (S_avg), and size of standard deviation of cell area (S_sd) as well as sex and age were analyzed.

Results

The average age of this study is 17.36 ± 7.58 (4–30) years. There is no sex predominance: 7,260 male (49.5%) and 7,410 female (50.5%). The mean CCT, ECD, CV, HEX, S_min/max, S_avg, and S_sd are 529.94 ± 31.53 (437–644) μm, 3,051.28 ± 375.49 (2,031–4,074) cells/mm², 28.34 ± 4.36 (18–40) %, 61.21 ± 10.29 (17–89) %, (147.79 ± 21.94 to 678.29 ± 120.96) μm², 332.74 ± 44.62 μm², and 95.02 ± 23.17 μm², respectively. The CCTs keep consistency. The ECD decreased rate is 1.02%/year. The curve of ECD and hexagonality expresses the same linear tender. The CCT and endothelial evaluation indexes have no sex predominant (p > 0.05); the quantitative indicators: CCT, ECD, and HEX are significant negative associated with age (p = 0.001 or p < 0.001); the variability indexes: the CV, S_min, S_max, S_avg, and S_sd are positive correlation (p < 0.001). The coefficients of CCT, HE, and S_min are -0.35, -0.59, and 1.17, respectively.

Conclusions

The ECD decrease rate is 1.02%/year of the normal Chinese Han childhood to the earlier adulthood. The ages 4 to 12, 13 to 20, and 21 to 30 can be named as the childhood, puberty and adulthood from endothelial biologic identity. The HEX is the sensitivity marks for the polymorphisms while the S _min is the specificity indicator CVs upon the Topcon Noncon Specular microscopy results.