title: Choroidal and central foveal thickness in patients with scleroderma and its systemic associations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to investigate the morphological changes in the fovea and choroid in patients with scleroderma and its systemic associations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four scleroderma patients and 31 healthy controls were enrolled. Choroidal thickness (CT) at five defined points (subfoveal [sfCT] and 1.0 [N1.0] and 3.0 µm nasal [N3.0] and 1.0 [T1.0] and 3.0 µm temporal [T3.0] from the centre of the fovea) and central foveal thickness were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean central foveal thickness (right eye 229.3 ± 28.6 versus 232.6 ± 29.7 and left eye 219.8 ± 21.4 versus 223.3 ± 21.9 µm) and sfCT (right eye 326.4 ± 56.5 versus 327.3 ± 62.1 and left eye 316.7 ± 53.4 versus 317.6 ± 51.6 µm) values were not different in patients with scleroderma compared with the controls (p > 0.05). The mean CT at N1.0, N3.0, T1.0 and T3.0 did not differ among these groups in both eyes (p > 0.05). There was no difference in the mean central foveal thickness and CT of both eyes in diffuse and limited scleroderma (p > 0.05). A negative correlation was found between anti-nuclear antibody positivity and CT at T3 and N3 (respectively, r = -0.439 and r = -0.383, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Choroidal thickness at five points and central foveal thickness in both eyes did not significantly differ in scleroderma patients compared with healthy controls. Choroidal thickness at the T3 and N3 points showed a negative correlation with anti-nuclear antibody positivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdinc
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevinc
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atik
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Feray
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balikoglu-Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Clinic, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akin Sari
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002829:Choroid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: central foveal thickness; choroidal thickness; enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography; scleroderma; systemic associations