General symptoms of cornea Salzmann-type degeneration

Abstract

After a brief review of the symptoms of Salzmann's nodular corneal dystrophy the authors report on 28 patients. As found by radiological examination, arthrosis deformans was present in all of the patients and, in nearly all cases, osteoporosis has been diagnosed. Histological examination revealed a regressive change in 3 patients' costal cartilage of identical macular character. 22 patients had cataracta and 20 an impaired hearing. Therefore, the disease belongs to the keratochondrosises. 1. The regressive change of the corneal stroma, the hyaline cartilage and the bones relies assumably on an abnormality of their mutual component, the mucopolysaccharides. 2. Experimental and therapeutic experiences have shown that prolonged mucopolysaccharide administration (heparin) will induce osteoporosis. This explains the relationship between osteoporosis and metabolic disorder of mucopolysaccharides. 3. The remarkably high occurrence of cataracta, in comparison to a normal population of the same age, is presumably related to the metabolic disorder of mucopolysaccharides. 4. The aforesaid seem to confirm that Salzmann's nodular corneal dystrophy, corneal dystrophy is not induced by repeated inflammations but conversely, pathological metabolism of the cornea in consequence of dystrophy is responsible for serial keratitis.