Corneal nerve regeneration after herpes simplex keratitis: A longitudinal in?vivo confocal microscopy study

摘要

PurposeTo evaluate the long-term alterations of corneal nerves in patients with herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis using in?vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). DesignProspective, longitudinal, cross sectional. MethodsThis study included 16 patients with a history of HSV keratitis and 15 age-matched normal controls. Slit-scanning IVCM was performed in all subjects at baseline and then after a mean follow-up of 37.3?±?1.7 months in the patient group. Corneal subbasal nerve density and corneal sensation were compared between groups at baseline and follow-up. ResultsAt baseline, the mean subbasal nerve density was significantly lower in both affected eyes (1.4?±?0.6?mm/mm2) and contralateral unaffected eyes (6.4?±?0.7?mm/mm2) compared with the controls (14.1?±?1.6?mm/mm2; all P? ?.05). ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that although corneal nerve regeneration occurs in patients with HSV keratitis, this change is not clinically significant and does not results in changes of corneal sensation. Therefore, these patients need to be followed closely for complications of neurotrophic keratopathy and might benefit from neuro-regenerative therapies.