High-altitude effect on corneal endothelial cells and prognosis in patients with cataract surgeries: a propensity score matched analysis

• DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2025.03.06
• Publication Date: 2025-02-20T07:52:31Z
• Authors: Li-Li Zhu; Yue Han; ; Yong-Yan Tang; ; Ying-Ying Wen; ; Xu-Hong Zhang; ; Li-Yue Zhang; ; Ri-Lei Zhu; ; Dong-Yu Guo
• Keywords: Ophthalmology; corneal endothelial cells; propensity score matching; hypoxia; plateau; cataract surgery; RE1-994

AIM: To compare analysis of the impact high altitude on corneal endothelial cells, and prognosis in patients with cataract surgeries. METHODS: Totally 265 plateau surgeries performed between January 2019 July 2022 (average altitude=3000 m), 524 plain 2020 were included. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was applied to match basic information both regions a 1:1 basis. Corneal cell density (ECD), coefficient variation (CV), hexagonal ratio (HEX), duration surgery, pre- postoperative visual acuity (VA) compared retrospectively, correlation tests done. RESULTS: 223 pairs have been matched successfully. HEX group higher than that (61.95%±6.191% vs 44.91%±6.829%, P<0.001). For ECD CV, no significant differences observed groups (P>0.1). VA lower (1.40±0.610 0.71±0.514, P<0.001 & 0.68±0.479 0.18±0.259, P<0.001), surgery longer those (27.06±14.900 min 16.03±8.033 min, No associations found post-operative parameters (P>0.05), while significantly related pre-operative (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: relative hypoxic environment does not promote apoptosis but may lead compensatory increase their functions. In patients, are poor functions early after