title: Longitudinal Evaluation of Central Corneal Thickness in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the longitudinal change of central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to elucidate whether it contributes to misinterpretation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in this group of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with SSc and 20 sex- and age-matched controls were examined at 2 visits 5 years apart. Age, sex, race, subtype of SSc, disease duration, autoantibody profile, use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), best-corrected visual acuity, spherical equivalent refraction, IOP, and CCT were recorded. IOP was assessed by applanation tonometry and CCT by ultrasonic pachymetry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCT decreased by 7.2 μm [95% confidence interval (CI), -2.1 to -12.2 μm] between the first and second measurements (P = 0.008) in patients with SSc and by 2.4 μm (P = 0.39, 95% CI, -8.0 to 3.3 μm) in the control group. Considering patients with SSc, CCT decreased by a mean of 11.6 μm [95% CI, -4.3 to -19.0 μm (P = 0.007)] among those taking DMARDs at the second visit and by 4.2 μm [95% CI, -3.0 to -11.5 μm (P = 0.2)] in patients not taking any DMARDs. There was no statistically significant change in IOP between the 2 visits for either the SSc group (P = 0.84) or the control group (P = 0.29). Mean change in CCT was not associated with either IOP at first visit or with change in IOP in SSc patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCT decreased with time in SSc. However, the slight rates of thinning observed are unlikely to considerably influence applanation tonometry or clinical decision-making over the short to intermediate term.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;†Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Hospital of Bonsucesso, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;‡Department of Ophthalmology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and§Department of Dermatology, Rubem David Azulay Dermatology Institute, Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Beatriz F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Marcony R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Santhiago
authors.forename: Silvia Fiuza
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Newton
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kara-Junior
authors.forename: Haroldo V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Moraes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D063171:Corneal Pachymetry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents