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Chien YL, Wu PY, Wu JH, Huang WL, Hsiao CC, Hsieh YT, Cheng T, Gau SSF, Chen WL. Corneal structural alterations in autism spectrum disorder: An in vivo confocal microscopy study. Autism Res 2023; 16:2316-2325. [PMID: 38050765 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit joint hypermobility and connective tissue disorders. However, it remains unclear if ASD individuals also have structural alterations in the connective tissue of the cornea. This study aims to determine whether the Kobayashi structure (K-structure) characteristics differ between adults with ASD and typically developing controls (TDC) and explore the clinical correlates of the K-structure abnormality. We recruited 30 ASD adults and 35 TDC. Corneal structures, particularly the K-structure in the Bowman's layer, of the participants were examined using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), and a K-grading ranging from 1 to 4 was given to each eye based on the level of morphological mosaicism. The ASD participants' eyes received a significantly higher single-eye K-grading than that of the TDC eyes (p < 0.001), and the medians [25th, 75th percentile] of bilateral-eye summed K-grading were 8 [7, 8] and 5 [4, 6] in ASD and TDC, respectively (p < 0.001). A significantly higher K-grading in the ASD participants' eyes was still observed after adjusting for the within-subject inter-eye correlation (p < 0.001). Youden Index showed the optimal cutoffs to differentiate ASD from TDC by bilateral-eye summed K-grading and single-eye K-grading was >6 and >3, respectively. Additionally, a higher K-grading was associated with fewer visual sensation seeking in ASD (Spearman's correlation coefficient ρ = -0.518, p = 0.008) and low visual registration (i.e., higher sensory threshold) in TDC (ρ = 0.446, p = 0.023). This study provided novel evidence of corneal structural alterations in ASD by IVCM. Our findings may not only support the prior hypothesis of the association between ASD and connective tissue abnormalities but also shed light on the relationship between connective tissue disorder and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ling Chien
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Ying Wu
- Department of General Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jo-Hsuan Wu
- Shiley Eye Institute and Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Wei-Lun Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chieh Hsiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Hsieh
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, and Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Li Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Advanced Ocular Surface and Corneal Nerve Regeneration Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Hall MN, Moshirfar M, Amin-Javaheri A, Ouano DP, Ronquillo Y, Hoopes PC. Lipid Keratopathy: A Review of Pathophysiology, Differential Diagnosis, and Management. Ophthalmol Ther 2020; 9:833-852. [PMID: 33058067 PMCID: PMC7708541 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-020-00309-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid keratopathy is a disease in which fat deposits accumulate in the cornea, leading to opacification and decrease of visual acuity. This condition can be idiopathic without signs of previous corneal disease or secondary to ocular or systemic diseases. Lipid keratopathy is usually associated with abnormal vascularization of the cornea, and the lipid classically deposits adjacent to these vessels. Treatment of this condition usually aims to eliminate or prevent abnormal vessel formation, and several modalities have been described. In this review we summarize the etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation of lipid keratopathy and describe current and emerging treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- MacGregor N Hall
- McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Majid Moshirfar
- Hoopes Vision Research Center, Hoopes Vision, Draper, UT, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
- Utah Lions Eye Bank, Murray, UT, USA.
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