Clinical Features, Risk Factors, and Therapy of Epithelial Keratitis after Cataract Surgery

Table 4

Comparison of clinical characteristics of epithelial keratitis between the diabetic and nondiabetic groups.

Clinical characteristics	Diabetic group (n = 37)	Nondiabetic group (n = 52)	value
Progress of epithelial damage			<0.001^†
Dot superficial erosion	4 (10.81%)	31 (59.62%)
Progress to diffuse superficial erosion	15 (40.54%)	8 (15.38%)
Progress to epithelial defects	18 (48.65%)	13 (25.00%)
Location of epithelial lesions at early stage			0.600^†
Nearby the main incision	1 (2.70%)	3 (5.77%)
Central cornea	24 (64.86%)	24 (46.15%)
Inferior cornea	12 (32.43%)	25 (48.08%)
Time of occurrence for EK, w			0.908^†
<1	2 (5.41%)	3 (5.77%)
1–2	7 (18.92%)	8 (15.38%)
>2	28 (75.68%）	41 (78.85%)
Time to corneal epitheliopathy progression, d			0.025^†
≤2	3 (8.11%)	6 (11.54%)
3–4	22 (59.46%)	16 (30.77%)
≥5	12 (32.43%)	30 (57.69%)
Complications
Corneal ulcer	1 (2.70%)	0 (0%)	0.233^Ψ
Epithelial HSK	2 (5.41%)	0 (0%)	0.090^Ψ
Corneal nebulae after epithelial healing	11 (29.73%)	6 (11.54%)	0.031

d = day; w = week; cm = centimeter. ^†Chi-square test with continuity correction. Chi-square test. ^ΨFisher’s exact test.