Table 4. Comparison of the histopathologic findings of the keratoconus corneas according to the keratoconus severity.
Findings | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | P1 |
Epithelial thinning | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 11 (33.3) | 10 (30.3) | 12 (36.4) | <0.001 |
Without | 1 (50.0) | 1 (50.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
Breaks in the Bowman's layer | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 9 (31.0) | 8 (27.6) | 12 (41.4) | 0.048 |
Without | 1 (16.7) | 3 (50.0) | 2 (33.3) | 0 (0.0) | |
Folds in Descemet's membrane | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 1 (6.7) | 7 (46.7) | 7 (46.7) | 0.013 |
Without | 1 (5.0) | 11(55.0) | 3 (15.0) | 5 (25.0) | |
Stromal fiber compaction | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 3 (21.4) | 4 (28.6) | 7 (50.5) | 0.324 |
Without | 1 (4.8) | 9 (42.9) | 6 (28.6) | 5 (23.8) | |
Superficial iron deposition | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 2 (16.7) | 6 (50.0) | 4 (33.3) | 0.164 |
Without | 1 (4.3) | 10 (43.5) | 4 (17.4) | 8 (34.8) | |
Collagen filling in Bowman's layer | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 2 (18.2) | 4 (36.4) | 5 (45.5) | 0.458 |
Without | 1 (4.2) | 10 (41.7) | 6 (25.0) | 7 (29.1) | |
Epithelial scars | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (20.0) | 8 (80.0) | 0.003 |
Without | 1 (4.0) | 12 (48.0) | 8 (32.0) | 4 (16.0) | |
Breaks in Descemet's membrane | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 1 (11.1) | 3 (33.3) | 5 (55.6) | 0.268 |
Without | 1 (3.8) | 11 (42.3) | 7 (26.9) | 7 (26.9) | |
Stromal scars | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (12.5) | 7 (87.5) | 0.004 |
Without | 1 (3.7) | 12 (44.4) | 9 (33.3) | 5 (18.5) | |
Endothelial cell loss | |||||
With | 0 (0.0) | 4 (57.1) | 3 (42.9) | 0 (0.0) | 0.157 |
Without | 1 (3.6) | 8 (28.6) | 7 (25.0) | 12 (42.9) |
1 Chi-square or Fischer's exact test.
n (%)