Trends of Penetrating Keratoplasty in the United States from 1980 to 2004
Received 19 January 2006; accepted 21 June 2006. published online 21 September 2006.
Purpose
To examine the changing trends in penetrating keratoplasties (PKs) performed in the United States.
Design
Retrospective review.
Methods
Review of Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) data on corneal tissue distribution in the United States from 1980 to 2004. Data analysis was retrospective. United States population census data were obtained and used for population-adjusted calculations. A series of Poisson regression models were calculated looking at the temporal trends over time.
Main Outcome Measures
The estimated yearly percent change and P values were calculated using Poisson regression models.
Results
The total number of corneas distributed for PKs from EBAA member eye banks have steadily increased since 1980. In 1990, the international and domestic distribution data were separated. The total number of PKs performed from EBAA-supplied tissue has continued to rise since 1990; however, the total number of PKs performed in the United States has steadily declined and when population-adjusted rates are examined, the rate of decline is more dramatic.
Conclusion
Although both absolute numbers and age-adjusted numbers of PKs have declined recently, the population-adjusted rates have dropped more significantly.
Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery Service, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California.
Correspondence to Ivan R. Schwab, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817.
Manuscript no. 2006-88.
The authors have no commercial or proprietary interest in the products or companies mentioned in the article.
Supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness and an unrestricted Sabbatical grant from Research to Prevent Blindness.
ABSTRACT