Table 3.
Corneal subbasal nerve alterations in the control group and in herpes simplex keratitispatients according to grade of hypoesthesia.
Controls and HSK eyes by Sensitivity Subcategory | Eyes n (%) | Age | Mean central corneal sensitivity (cm) | Mean subbasal nerve density (μm/μm2) | Total nerves (n) | Main nerve trunks (n) | Total branches (n) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Controls | 15 | 59±17 | 6.0 ± 0 | 2258.4 ±989.0 | 13.1 ± 3.8 | 4.7 ± 1.2 | 9.8 ± 3.3 |
HSK Normal sensation (>5.5cm) | 6 (19%) | 43.2 ± 23.1 | 6.0 ± 0 | 930.9 ± 312.2* (p<0.003) | 7.5 ± 3.0* (p<0.002) | 3.9 ± 1.8 (p=0.2) | 3.6 ± 1.4* (p<0.004) |
HSK Mild hypoesthesia (>2.5cm to ≤5.5cm) | 12 (39%) | 66.5 ± 14 | 4.1 ± 0.9* (p<0.0001) | 518.8 ± 394.6* (p<0.0001) | 5.2 ± 2.8* (p<0.0001) | 2.3 ± 1.2* (p<0.0001) | 4.7 ± 6.1* (p<0.0003) |
HSK Severe hypoesthesia (≤2.5cm) | 13 (42%) | 66.7 ± 17 | 1.4 ± 1.0* (p<0.0001) | 161.8 ± 158.8* (p<0.0001) | 3.1 ± 2.7* (p<0.0001) | 1.5 ± 1.3* (p<0.0001) | 1.5 ± 2.3* (p<0.0001) |
p-value within HSK sensation groups: |
|||||||
normal - mild | p<0.004 | p<0.0002 | p<0.01 | p<0.04 | p<0.003 | p=0.32 | |
normal - severe | p<0.02 | p<0.0001 | p<0.001 | p<0.002 | p<0.001 | p<0.002 | |
severe-mild | p=0.48 | p<0.0001 | p<0.004 | p<0.04 | p=0.059 | p<0.008 |
Herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) patients were grouped into normal (>5.5 cm), mild (>2.5 cm to ≤5.5 cm), and severe (≤2.5 cm) loss of corneal sensation according to the corneal sensitivity threshold measurements with the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. Values reported as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis performed by ANOVA (analysis of variance between groups).
Statistically significant compared to controls, P-values shown in parenthesis. P-values compared within sensation groups at the bottom of the table.