Researchers have conducted a new study in which they found that patients who underwent corneal transplants, based on gender differences, may have different outcomes. It turns out that for women, surgery can have negative consequences if she received corneas from male donors.
Gender matching is likely to be useful, as it potentially reduces the risk of retinal rejection in corneal transplant patients.
Several thousand patients were analyzed to obtain confirmation of this. It is known that the specialists involved a group of volunteers of more than 18,000 British citizens who survived the first corneal transplant surgery. By the way, 80% of them could not successfully undergo the operation, which led to a deterioration in their health. Experts note that the corresponding corneas are selected for every thousand people. According to the statistics of the fair half, 220 interventions are unsuccessful, in comparison with men, since their indicator is 180 operations.
The effect of gender matching was especially noticeable in patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy, which affects a thin layer of cells, the so-called corneal endothelial cells. They regulate the amount of fluid in the cornea. Adequate water balance is essential for clear vision. Further, physicians studied the cases of patients with endothelial dystrophy. Based on this, the results of the incompatibility of antigens associated with the male Y chromosome were obtained. Women do not have a Y chromosome, so there is no incompatibility from female donors.
Scientists intend to continue research to confirm the results and fully understand what are the reasons for gender matching in corneal transplants. Further investigation may lead to the cause of the potential corneal mismatch of male donors, as well as from female donors to both sexes.
Galitskaya Alla