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Thickness of anterior sclera and corneal layers in systemic sclerosis

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the thickness of anterior sclera and corneal layers in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study included 41 patients with systemic sclerosis and 41 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The study and control groups were compared in terms of the thickness of anterior sclera, corneal epithelium, Bowman’s layer, corneal stroma, and Descemet’s membrane-endothelium complex. The thickness measurements were obtained using the anterior segment module of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Results

The thickness of anterior sclera, corneal epithelium, Bowman’s layer, and Descemet’s membrane-endothelium complex were similar in the patients with systemic sclerosis and healthy controls (P > 0.05). Total corneal thickness at the apex was 511.1 ± 33.5 µm in the systemic sclerosis group and 528.4 ± 29.5 µm in the control group (P = 0.015). The corneal stroma was thinner in the systemic sclerosis patients compared to the healthy controls (P = 0.02).

Conclusions

The corneal stroma was thinner in the patients with systemic sclerosis compared to that of healthy controls, while the thickness of the anterior sclera was similar in both groups.

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Funding

No funding was received for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmology Department, Pamukkale University, 20070, Denizli, Turkey

    Emine Şeker Ün, Gökhan Pekel & Ebru Nevin Cetin

  2. Rheumatology Division, İzzet Baysal Training and Research Hospital, Bolu, Turkey

    Murat Tasci

  3. Yozgat State Hospital, Eye Clinic, Yozgat, Turkey

    Alperen Bahar

  4. Denizli State Hospital, Eye Clinic, Denizli, Turkey

    Evre Pekel

  5. Ophthalmology Department, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey

    Mustafa Subasi

  6. Rheumatology Division, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey

    Veli Cobankara

Authors
  1. Emine Şeker Ün
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  2. Gökhan Pekel
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  3. Murat Tasci
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  4. Alperen Bahar
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  5. Evre Pekel
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  7. Mustafa Subasi
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Correspondence to Emine Şeker Ün.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Ün, E.Ş., Pekel, G., Tasci, M. et al. Thickness of anterior sclera and corneal layers in systemic sclerosis. Int Ophthalmol 44, 137 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-024-03013-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-024-03013-z

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