title: Ocular surface findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis under methotrexate or biological agent therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ocular findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate (MTX) or MTX with biological agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twelve eyes of 56 patients with RA and treated with MTX or MTX with biological agents were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups using DMARDs only (group 1) and patients using DMARDs and biologic agents together (group 2). In both groups; Schirmer's II test, tear film break-up time (tBUT), central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal volume (CV), intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, and anterior segment and fundus examinations of the eye with slit lamp were carried out. Ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score questionnaire were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight patients with a mean age of 53.00 ± 8.19 years were in group 1 and 18 patients with a mean age of 51.00 ± 9.54 years were in group 2. The mean duration of RA was 6.89 ± 7.96 years in group 1 and 5.70 ± 9.00 years in group 2. There was a statistically significant difference between two groups with tBUT, CCT, CV, IOP (p < 0.05) and there was no significant difference with age, sex, disease duration, disease activity, and Schirmer's II test (p > 0.05). The disease duration showed a significant moderate negative correlation with CCT and CV in group 2 (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although tBUT values were significantly higher in the combination treatment group, CCT and CV values were significantly lower. Due to the decrease in corneal thickness, IOP was determined to be significantly lower.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sevimli
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Remzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karadag
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation , Istanbul Medeniyet University School of Medicine, Goztepe , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madenci
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bayramlar
authors.affiliation: b Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation , Istanbul Medeniyet University School of Medicine, Goztepe , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ocal
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dag
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063171:Corneal Pachymetry; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D013666:Tears / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001685:Biological Factors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007213:Indomethacin; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Biological agents; Schirmer’s II test; break-up time; corneal thickness; corneal volume; disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; ocular surface disease index; rheumatoid arthritis