Evaluating Choroidal Characteristics in Systemic Sclerosis Using Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: To evaluate choroidal thickness (CT) and investigate the involvement of choroidal circulation in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: A total of 120 eyes of 60 SSc patients and 60 eyes of 30 healthy controls were evaluated. CT measurements were performed at the subfoveal region, 1000 µm nasal and 1000 µm temporal to the fovea, using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. CT measurements were compared between the patients and controls.

Results: The average subfoveal, parafoveal nasal and parafoveal temporal CT were significantly thinner in SSc patients when compared with healthy controls (297.77 ± 60.8 µm vs 339.8 ± 50.4 µm; 267.32 ± 51.1 µm vs 308.65 ± 49.9 µm; 270.63 ± 46.3 µm vs 309.22 ± 42.4 µm, respectively; p<0.001 for all).

Conclusions: Reduced CT in SSc patients supports the hypothesis of widespread vascular injury, including the ocular microcirculation.