Anterior segment parameters in Behçet’s patients with ocular involvement

• Published in: International ophthalmology Vol. 40; no. 6; pp. 1387 - 1395
• Main Authors: Ozbek-Uzman, Selma, Karatas Sungur, Gulten, Yalniz-Akkaya, Zuleyha, Orman, Gozde, Burcu, Ayse, Ornek, Firdevs
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Anterior Eye Segment - diagnostic imaging; Astigmatism; Autoimmune diseases; Behcet Syndrome - complications; Behcet Syndrome - diagnosis; Cornea; Corneal Topography; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines; Disease control; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Inflammation; Keratoconus; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Ophthalmology; Original Paper; Parameters; Pathogenesis; Retrospective Studies; Slit Lamp Microscopy; Statistical analysis; Uveitis; Uveitis - diagnosis; Uveitis - etiology; Vein & artery diseases; Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam); Proinflammatory cytokines; Behçet’s disease; Keratoconus; Corneal thickness
• ISSN: 0165-5701; 1573-2630; 1573-2630
• DOI: 10.1007/s10792-020-01304-9

Purpose To evaluate anterior segment findings in Behçet’s disease patients within the ocular involvement inactive period. Methods One hundred twenty patients with Behçet uveitis in the inactive period (Behçet’s disease group) and 121-age and sex matched healthy subjects (control group) were examined. Anterior segment parameters were assessed by Scheimpflug camera. Results In Behçet’s disease group, the mean age was 39.89 ± 10.16 years, and 55.8% of patients were male; in the control group, the mean age was 38.69 ± 14.08 years, and 56.2% of control subjects were male. Pachymetric measurements of corneal apex (523.84 ± 30.36 µ vs 540.73 ± 27.85 µ, p  < 0.001) thinnest point (518.70 ± 30.75 µ vs 537 ± 28.66 µ, p  < 0.001), mean corneal volume (57.90 ± 3.39 mm 3 vs 59.57 ± 3.37 mm 3 , p  < 0.001) were significantly lower and anterior elevation [5.0 (1.0–34.0) vs 2.0 (1.0–7.0) diopter(D), p  < 0.001], posterior elevation [11.0 (1.0–66.0) vs 4.0 (0–22.0) D, p  < 0.001)] and corneal astigmatism [1.1 (0–7.1) vs 0.7 (0.1–5.7) D, p  = 0.005] were significantly higher in the Behçet’s disease group than in control group. No significant difference was found in other anterior segment parameters between the Behçet’s disease group and control group. Concurrent keratoconus was detected in two cases (1.7%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the corneal measurements and frequency of uveitis attacks. Conclusion The chronic inflammatory process associated with various proinflammatory cytokines, which play a role in the pathogenesis of keratoconus, may also contribute to a decrease in corneal thickness and corneal volume in Behçet’s patients with ocular involvement.