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Assessment of systemic and ocular inflammation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis via choroidal vascularity index

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A Correction to this article was published on 10 November 2021

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Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the retina and the choroid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) employing optical coherence tomography (OCT). This cross-sectional study, carried out between June 2017–December 2019, included JIA patients with (JIAU; n = 28) and without (JIAN; n = 65) uveitis and age-matched healthy controls (HC) (n = 102). Laboratory and demographic information of the children were obtained from hospital records. Activity of the disease was evaluated by the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score-71 (JADAS-71). Choroidal scans were obtained with spectral domain-OCT in enhanced-depth imaging (EDI)-OCT mode to assess choroidal thickness (ChT) at five locations (under the fovea, at 750 and 1500 μm nasal and temporal sections), luminal area (LA), stromal area (SA), total subfoveal choroidal area (TCA) and CVI (choroidal vascularity index). Central foveal thickness (CFT) and 1-mm diameter foveal thickness (FT) were calculated automatically through macular volume scan analysis. The choroid was significantly thicker in JIAU and JIAN patients than in HC at the subfoveal and at the 750N, 750T, 1500T points (p < 0.001, p = 0.009, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). The CVI was lower in JIAU patients than in JIAN patients and HC (p = 0.02). Conversely, CFT was greater in JIAU patients as compared to the JIAN patients and HC (p = 0.02). Changes in chorioretinal OCT parameters in the absence of uveitis in JIA patients may reflect subclinical choroidal inflammation in these patients. Ophthalmologic examination, including choroidal imaging in a larger cohort, may clarify this aspect.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Technology Transfer Office of Hacettepe University for supporting the English editing service and OCT technician Dilek Nakas for her contribution.

Funding

This research was supported by internal funding and did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Fatih, 34130, Istanbul, Turkey

    Abdullah Ağın

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Tunceli State Hospital, 62000, Tunceli, Turkey

    Özge Deliktaş

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Aydın State Hospital, 09100, Aydın, Turkey

    Ata Baytaroğlu

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Rheumatology Unit, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Selcan Demir, Erdal Sağ, Yelda Bilginer & Seza Özen

  5. Department of Biostatistics, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Jale Karakaya

  6. Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Sibel Kadayıfçılar & Bora Eldem

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  1. Abdullah Ağın
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  2. Sibel Kadayıfçılar
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Contributions

AA, SK, AB, ÖD, SD, ES, YB, JK, SÖ and BE designed the study, conducted the data analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and had full access to all the data in the study and all authors reviewed and revised the manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Author Contributions are in line with the ICMJE 4 authorship criteria, and all co-authors take full responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript. All co-authors take full responsibility for the integrity of all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Abdullah Ağın or Sibel Kadayıfçılar.

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The study was approved by the ethics committee of Hacettepe University. (2017–02-14/ GO 16/823) All study procedures were performed according to the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice.

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Ağın, A., Kadayıfçılar, S., Baytaroğlu, A. et al. Assessment of systemic and ocular inflammation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis via choroidal vascularity index. Rheumatol Int 42, 1187–1196 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-021-05023-x

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