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The effect of systemic sclerosis and its subtypes on ocular anterior and posterior segment parameters

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate anterior and posterior segment parameters in the eyes of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and examine the effect of disease and disease subtypes on these parameters.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 54 eyes of 27 SSc patients and 54 eyes of 27 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In addition to a complete ophthalmologic examination, all patients were examined using a Scheimpflug camera, specular microscopy, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 52.5 ± 11.4 years and 19 patients were female. Anterior chamber volume, central corneal thickness, and central macular thickness (CMT) were significantly lower in the eyes of SSc patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.01, p = 0.03, and p = 0.006, respectively). When evaluated according to SSc subtype, CMT was lower in diffuse SSc patients (p = 0.001), while mean retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and inferior quadrant RNFL values were lower in limited SSc (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005, respectively).

Conclusion

In the eyes of patients with SSc, some ocular parameters may show decreases compared to healthy individuals, presumably secondary to disease-related vasculopathy and fibrosis. CMT and RNFL parameters may be affected differently according to disease subtype.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Dönmez Gün R, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Jacqueline Gutenkunst for English translation and editing.

Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul Kartal Doctor Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, Semsi Denizer Street, E-5, 34890, Kartal, Istanbul, Turkey

    Raziye Dönmez Gün & Şaban Şimşek

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Istanbul Kartal Doctor Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mehmet Engin Tezcan

  3. Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mehmet Can Özen

  4. Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Nesrin Tutaş Günaydın

Authors
  1. Raziye Dönmez Gün
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  5. Şaban Şimşek
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Contributions

Study conception and design: DGR, TME; Acquisition of data: DGR, TME, ÖMC, TGN; Analysis and interpretation of data: DGR, TME, ÖMC, TGN; Drafting of manuscript: DGR, TME; Critical revision: DGR, TME, ŞŞ.

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Correspondence to Raziye Dönmez Gün.

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None of the authors has any conflict of interest related to the submitted work.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the hospital ethics committee (decision number: 2021/514/199/1) and adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Written informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in the study.

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Dönmez Gün, R., Tezcan, M.E., Özen, M.C. et al. The effect of systemic sclerosis and its subtypes on ocular anterior and posterior segment parameters. Int Ophthalmol 44, 113 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-024-02950-z

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