The Effect of Socioeconomic Deprivation on Corneal Graft Survival in the United Kingdom – Corrected Proof
Objective: To investigate the effect of socioeconomic deprivation on cornea graft survival in the United Kingdom.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Participants: All the recipients (n = 13 644) undergoing their first penetrating keratoplasty (PK) registered on the United Kingdom Transplant Registry between April 1999 and March 2011 were included.Methods: Data of patients' demographic details, indications, graft size, corneal vascularization, surgical complication, rejection episodes, and postoperative medication were collected at the time of surgery and 1, 2, and 5 years postoperatively. Patients with endophthalmitis were excluded from the study. Patients' home postcodes were used to determine the socioeconomic status using a well-validated deprivation index in (Read more...)