The relationship between scleral thickness, corneal parameters, and interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine scleral thickness (ST) and corneal parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy individuals and to investigate the association of these parameters with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). Methods: The study recruited 59 patients with RA and 31 healthy individuals of similar age and gender. Patient records were reviewed for serological findings, disease activity score-28, disease duration, and medical treatment. The RA patients were divided into two groups: Those with RA-ILD and those without ILD (RA-noILD). The study measured ST at 1000, 2000, and 3000 µm from the scleral spur, corneal volume as well as central corneal thickness for all participants. Patients with RA-ILD were also assessed with delta high-resolution computed tomography (Δ HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFT) to determine the severity of ILD. Results: The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the RA groups were similar. There were statistically significant differences in ST1000, ST2000, and ST3000 measurements between patients with RA and healthy controls (p=0.007; p<0.001; p=0.001, respectively). However, there was no correlation between ocular parameters and PFT or Δ HRCT. Conclusion: The study found that patients with RA-ILD had scleral thinning, although there was no scleral involvement. However, this difference was not statistically significant when compared to RA-noILD patients. © 2023 by the Turkish Society for Rheumatology / Journal of Turkish Society for Rheumatology published by Galenos Publishing House.