AUTHOR=Bonzano Chiara , Cutolo Carlo Alberto , Musetti Donatella , Di Mola Ilaria , Pizzorno Chiara , Scotto Riccardo , Traverso Carlo Enrico 

TITLE=Delayed Re-epithelialization After Epithelium-Off Crosslinking: Predictors and Impact on Keratoconus Progression

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.657993

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.657993

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=PURPOSE: To investigate the demographic and corneal factors associated with the occurrence of delayed re-epithelialization (DRE) after epithelium-off CXL (epi-off CXL).

DESIGN: Retrospective case series. 

METHODS: A chart review was performed to identify patients treated with epi-off CXL. DRE was defined as a corneal epithelial defect, detected by fluorescein staining, that persisted more than 10 days. Slit-lamp examination, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, corneal topography and, corneal in-vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) were always performed preoperatively and at each follow-up visit (1, 3, 6, 12 months). Logistic regression was used to assess the baseline factors associated with DRE.

RESULTS: Data from 153 eyes were analyzed. The mean patients’ age was 24.9±8.5 years, and 47 (30.7%) were females. The average re-epithelization time was 4.7 ± 1.8 days. Six eyes (3.9%) experienced DRE. In the multivariate logistic model, both the patient’s age (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.6; p=0.019) and the corneal steepest meridian (OR=0.44, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.99, p=0.046) were associated with DRE. Male gender was associated with a slower early nerve regrowth (1 to 6 months) (p=0.048) but not with the occurrence of DRE (p=0.271). Preoperative central corneal thickness was not related with DRE (p=0.066). DRE was not associated with KC progression after epi-off CXL (p=0.520).

CONCLUSIONS: The association between DRE and age may reflect the age-related decrease in the corneal healing response. Gender seems to affect re-innervation measured by IVCM but not the re-epithelization time. DRE does not seem to affect the efficacy of epi-off CXL.