Author Contributions
Conceptualization, A.L.C. and D.S.C.; methodology, A.L.C.; software, A.T.; validation, A.T. and A.L.C.; investigation, G.R. and A.L.C.; data curation, G.R. and A.L.C.; writing—original draft preparation, A.L.C. and A.T.; writing—review and editing, D.S.C., A.T., G.R. and A.L.C.; visualization, A.T.; supervision, D.S.C.; project administration, A.L.C.; funding acquisition, A.L.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Figure 1.
Representative images of endothelial cell layer (colored dots) 1 week after surgery performed with specular microscopy for (a) patient from group B (≤65 years old) and (b) patient from group A (>65 years old). Legend: CCT—corneal central thickness; CD—cell density; CV—coefficient of variation; HEX—cell hexagonality; N—normal value; MIN—minimum value; MAX—maximum value; AVG—average value; SD—standard deviation of specular image; Pleomorphism—percentage of cells with variation from normal hexagonal shape; Polymegathism—size variation in the endothelial monolayer.
Figure 1.
Representative images of endothelial cell layer (colored dots) 1 week after surgery performed with specular microscopy for (a) patient from group B (≤65 years old) and (b) patient from group A (>65 years old). Legend: CCT—corneal central thickness; CD—cell density; CV—coefficient of variation; HEX—cell hexagonality; N—normal value; MIN—minimum value; MAX—maximum value; AVG—average value; SD—standard deviation of specular image; Pleomorphism—percentage of cells with variation from normal hexagonal shape; Polymegathism—size variation in the endothelial monolayer.
Figure 2.
Study design chart.
Figure 2.
Study design chart.
Figure 3.
Combined socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of group A (>65 y) and B (≤65 y). Legend: LE—left eye; RE—right eye; AXL—axial length; ACD—anterior chamber depth.
Figure 3.
Combined socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of group A (>65 y) and B (≤65 y). Legend: LE—left eye; RE—right eye; AXL—axial length; ACD—anterior chamber depth.
Figure 4.
Graphical comparison means of (a) CD_pre, (b) CD_post1w and (c) CD_post4w parameters, with confidence intervals as error-bars, calculated for AgeGrp factor levels.
Figure 4.
Graphical comparison means of (a) CD_pre, (b) CD_post1w and (c) CD_post4w parameters, with confidence intervals as error-bars, calculated for AgeGrp factor levels.
Figure 5.
Graphical comparison means of (a) CCT_pre, (b) CCT_post1w and (c) CCT_post4w parameters, with confidence intervals as error-bars, calculated for AgeGrp factor levels.
Figure 5.
Graphical comparison means of (a) CCT_pre, (b) CCT_post1w and (c) CCT_post4w parameters, with confidence intervals as error-bars, calculated for AgeGrp factor levels.
Figure 6.
Graphical comparison means of (a) HEX_pre, (b) HEX_post1w and (c) HEX_post4w parameters, with confidence intervals as error-bars, calculated for AgeGrp factor levels.
Figure 6.
Graphical comparison means of (a) HEX_pre, (b) HEX_post1w and (c) HEX_post4w parameters, with confidence intervals as error-bars, calculated for AgeGrp factor levels.
Figure 7.
Correlation matrix between measured variables. Legend: AXL, axial length; ACD, anterior chamber depth; CCT_pre, central corneal thickness preoperative; CD_pre, cell density preoperative; HEX_pre, hexagonality of endothelial cells preoperative; CD_loss, cell density loss; U/S, ultrasound energy consumption; EPT, effective phaco time (a) Group A (>65); (b) Group B (≤65).
Figure 7.
Correlation matrix between measured variables. Legend: AXL, axial length; ACD, anterior chamber depth; CCT_pre, central corneal thickness preoperative; CD_pre, cell density preoperative; HEX_pre, hexagonality of endothelial cells preoperative; CD_loss, cell density loss; U/S, ultrasound energy consumption; EPT, effective phaco time (a) Group A (>65); (b) Group B (≤65).
Figure 8.
Regression line of prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density (multiple regression FINAL model) for the group B (≤ 65 y).
Figure 8.
Regression line of prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density (multiple regression FINAL model) for the group B (≤ 65 y).
Figure 9.
Regression line of prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density (multiple regression FINAL model) for the group A (>65 y).
Figure 9.
Regression line of prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density (multiple regression FINAL model) for the group A (>65 y).
Table 1.
Descriptive statistics of AXL, ACD, US and EPT parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05). Different letters denote statistically significant different means.
Table 1.
Descriptive statistics of AXL, ACD, US and EPT parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05). Different letters denote statistically significant different means.
No. Patients | AgeGrp | AXL | ACD | U/S | EPT |
---|
77 | >65 | 23.327 b ± 2.588 | 3.146 a ± 0.582 | 11.974 a ± 4.193 | 10.329 a ± 5.670 |
43 | ≤65 | 25.040 a ± 3.409 | 3.314 a ± 0.518 | 9.674 b ± 4.648 | 6.927 b ± 5.839 |
Table 2.
Descriptive statistics of AXL, ACD, US and EPT parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for Gender_AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05). Different letters denote statistically significant different means.
Table 2.
Descriptive statistics of AXL, ACD, US and EPT parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for Gender_AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05). Different letters denote statistically significant different means.
No. Patients | Gender_AgeGrp | AXL | ACD | U/S | EPT |
---|
38 | Female_ > 65 | 22.524 b ± 2.174 | 3.064 b ± 0.573 | 12.211 a ± 4.140 | 10.258 a ± 5.678 |
21 | Female_ ≤ 65 | 26.232 a ± 3.525 | 3.481 a ± 0.468 | 10.619 a,b ± 5.296 | 7.610 a ± 7.127 |
39 | Male_ > 65 | 24.111 b ± 2.742 | 3.225 a,b ± 0.587 | 11.744 a,b ± 4.284 | 10.397 a ± 5.735 |
22 | Male_ ≤ 65 | 23.902 b ± 2.938 | 3.154 a,b ± 0.523 | 8.773 b ± 3.841 | 6.275 a ± 4.348 |
Table 3.
Descriptive statistics of CD_pre, CD_post1w, CD_post4w, CCT_pre, CCT_post1w, CCT_post4w, HEX_pre, HEX_post1w and HEX_post4w parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05)–different letters denote statistically significant different means.
Table 3.
Descriptive statistics of CD_pre, CD_post1w, CD_post4w, CCT_pre, CCT_post1w, CCT_post4w, HEX_pre, HEX_post1w and HEX_post4w parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05)–different letters denote statistically significant different means.
No. Patients | AgeGrp | CD_pre | CD_post1w | CD_post4w |
---|
77 | >65 | 2353.649 b ± 458.247 | 2036.169 b ± 517.853 | 1916.143 b ± 501.560 |
43 | ≤65 | 2567.860 a ± 426.972 | 2372.581 a ± 544.728 | 2274.581 a ± 572.560 |
No. patients | AgeGrp | CCT_pre | CCT_post1w | CCT_post4w |
77 | >65 | 530.156 a ± 28.807 | 543.494 a ± 29.625 | 542.364 a ± 32.693 |
43 | ≤65 | 533.558 a ± 30.726 | 550.651 a ± 27.498 | 541.488 a ± 27.812 |
No. patients | AgeGrp | HEX_pre | HEX_post1w | HEX_post4w |
77 | >65 | 54.688 b ± 7.212 | 44.416 b ± 10.710 | 38.442 b ± 12.052 |
43 | ≤65 | 60.535 a ± 9.349 | 50.860 a ± 10.426 | 45.977 a ± 11.903 |
Table 4.
Endothelial cell loss (cell/mm2) (mean ± SD).
Table 4.
Endothelial cell loss (cell/mm2) (mean ± SD).
| Group A (>65) | Group B (≤65) | p Value (Group A > 65 vs. Group B ≤ 65) |
---|
CD_pre | 2353.649 b ± 458.247 | 2567.860 a ± 426.972 | 0.013 |
CD_post1w | 2036.169 b ± 517.853 | 2372.581 a ± 544.728 | 0.001 |
Endothelial cell loss (n) | 318.0519 a ± 212.6977 | 212.6977 a ± 261.7497 | 0.1460 |
Endothelial Cell loss % | 13.358 a ± 8.5320 | 8.532 b ± 9.5452 | 0.0428 |
Table 5.
Descriptive statistics of CD_pre, CD_post1w, CD_post4w, CCT_pre, CCT_post1w, CCT_post4w, HEX_pre, HEX_post1w and HEX_post4w parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for Gender_AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05)–different letters denote statistically significant different means.
Table 5.
Descriptive statistics of CD_pre, CD_post1w, CD_post4w, CCT_pre, CCT_post1w, CCT_post4w, HEX_pre, HEX_post1w and HEX_post4w parameters, as means with standard deviations calculated for Gender_AgeGrp factor levels. Means were compared within two-way ANOVA (p = 0.05), in a post hoc pairwise comparison Dunn–Sidak test (p = 0.05)–different letters denote statistically significant different means.
No. patients | Gender_AgeGrp | CD_pre | CD_post1w | CD_post4w |
---|
38 | Female_ > 65 | 2435.553 a,b ± 524.287 | 2091.026 b ± 621.578 | 1955.763 b ± 581.763 |
21 | Female_ ≤ 65 | 2507.714 a,b ± 441.443 | 2256.571 a,b ± 622.338 | 2151.571 a,b ± 627.473 |
39 | Male_ > 65 | 2273.846 b ± 372.953 | 1982.718 b ± 392.695 | 1877.538 b ± 412.896 |
22 | Male_ ≤ 65 | 2625.273 a ± 414.665 | 2483.318 a ± 445.299 | 2392.000 a ± 501.099 |
No. patients | Gender_AgeGrp | CCT_pre | CCT_post1w | CCT_post4w |
38 | Female_ > 65 | 533.132 a ± 30.521 | 547.184 a ± 33.706 | 544.105 a ± 37.429 |
21 | Female_ ≤ 65 | 535.429 a ± 33.345 | 549.571 a ± 25.443 | 540.381 a ± 26.352 |
39 | Male_ > 65 | 527.256 a ± 27.114 | 539.897 a ± 24.943 | 540.667 a ± 27.706 |
22 | Male_ ≤ 65 | 531.773 a ± 28.679 | 551.682 a ± 29.891 | 542.545 a ± 29.719 |
No. patients | Gender_AgeGrp | HEX_pre | HEX_post1w | HEX_post4w |
38 | Female_ > 65 | 54.632 b ± 7.492 | 45.395 a,b ± 11.081 | 39.184 b ± 12.781 |
21 | Female_ ≤ 65 | 61.524 a ± 9.169 | 52.905 a ± 9.823 | 49.714 a ± 10.311 |
39 | Male_ > 65 | 54.744 b ± 7.025 | 43.462 b ± 10.389 | 37.718 b ± 11.418 |
22 | Male_ ≤ 65 | 59.591 a,b ± 9.635 | 48.909 a,b ± 10.832 | 42.409 a,b ± 12.443 |
Table 6.
Univariate association of the measured variables with the cell density loss.
Table 6.
Univariate association of the measured variables with the cell density loss.
| Group A (>65 y) | Group B (≤65 y) |
---|
| Correlation Coefficient (R) | p Value | Correlation Coefficient (R) | p Value |
---|
AXL | 0.2038 | 0.2197 | 0.3405 | 0.1309 |
ACD | 0.1289 | 0.4406 | 0.2078 | 0.3660 |
U/S | 0.2720 | 0.0985 | 0.2987 | 0.1885 |
EPT | 0.2265 | 0.1714 | 0.3518 | 0.1179 |
CCT_pre | 0.2325 | 0.1600 | 0.1872 | 0.4165 |
CD_pre | 0.1384 | 0.4073 | −0.0424 | 0.8552 |
HEX_pre | 0.0589 | 0.7253 | −0.1466 | 0.5260 |
Table 7.
Multiple regression FINAL model of the selected variables with the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density.
Table 7.
Multiple regression FINAL model of the selected variables with the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density.
| Group A (>65 y) | | Group B (≤65 y) |
---|
Factor | Coefficient | Standard error | p Value | Factor | Coefficient | Standard Error | p Value |
---|
U/S | −24.2216 | 9.136519 | 0.0100 * | AXL | −24.9617 | 12.48921 | 0.0530 * |
CD_pre | 0.827274 | 0.083201 | 0.0000 * | U/S | −12.3783 | 9.477861 | 0.1990 |
CCT_pre | 0.71207 | 0.45167 | 0.1190 * | CD_pre | 1.059313 | 0.099469 | 0.0000 * |
| | | | HEX_pre | 6.503726 | 4.942817 | 0.1960 |
Table 8.
Prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density with the multiple regression FINAL model, AGE ≤ 65 case.
Table 8.
Prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density with the multiple regression FINAL model, AGE ≤ 65 case.
Prob > F = 0.0000 |
R-squared = 0.9791 |
Adj R-squared = 0.9789 |
CD_post1w | Coefficient | Std. err. | t | p > |t| |
pred_CD_1w, Age ≤ 65 | 0.9709181 | 0.013 | 74.69 | 0.0000 |
Table 9.
Prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density with the multiple regression FINAL model, AGE > 65 case.
Table 9.
Prediction of the post-operative (CD_Post1W) cell density with the multiple regression FINAL model, AGE > 65 case.
Prob > F = 0.0000 |
R-squared = 0.9798 |
Adj R-squared = 0.9797 |
CD_post1w | Coefficient | Std. err. | t | p > |t| |
pred_CD_1w_Age > 65 | 1.019773 | 0.013408 | 76.06 | 0.0000 |