Impact of Donor Age on Corneal Endothelium-Descemet Membrane Layer Scroll Formation

Objective: To correlate corneal endothelium-Descemet membrane (EDM) layer parameters of scroll tightness with donor age, endothelial cell density (ECD), and history of diabetes. Methods: Endothelium-Descemet membrane layer scrolls were harvested from 26 corneoscleral buttons using the SCUBA technique by a cornea-fellowship trained ophthalmologist masked to donor age. Two independent outcome parameters were used to characterize the scrolling severity of successfully harvested tissue: scroll width and tendency for EDM scroll formation (referred to as scroll rating on a 1–4 scale: incomplete scroll formation to tightly scrolled). Results: Mean donor age was 59±17 (15–69) years. Mean ECD of EDM scroll was 2,451±626 (range: 1,307–3,195) cells per square millimeter. Using stepwise linear regression, a significant correlation was found between scroll width and donor age (R=0.497, P<0.05). Additionally, a significant inverse correlation was found between scroll width and ECD (R=−0.605, P<0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between a donor history of diabetes and the parameters of scrolling tendency. Conclusions: Our data suggest that using older donors reduces EDM scroll tightness.