Posters

Influence of atopy on choroidal thickness in keratoconus patients

Poster Details

First Author: A.Moleiro PORTUGAL

Co Author(s):    A. Aires   L. Torrão   Â. Carneiro   F. Falcão-Reis   J. Pinheiro-Costa        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to determine if increased choroidal thickeness is correlated with atopy in patients with keratoconus.

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was performed. A total of 80 patients with keratoconus, of which 51 atopic and 29 non-atopic, aged between 14 and 30 years old, followed at Corneal Department of Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto were included. A spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) using depth enhanced imaging was performed and choroidal thickness was measured and compared in the center of the fovea and at 500 µm intervals along a horizontal section. A multivariate analysis was performed using SPSS to evaluate if choroidal thickness was correlated with atopy.

Results:

Atopic-keratoconic patients seem to have a thicker choroid in every measured location. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) values obtained were 391.53 ± 108.08 and 351.17 ± 85.60 in atopic and non-atopic groups, respectively (P = 0.088). In the multivariate analysis, adjusted to co-variates (age, sex and spherical equivalent) we found that having atopy makes the choroid thicker, on average 41.407 µm when compared to non-atopic, although without statistical significance (P = 0.084). We found a statistically thicker choroid 62.656 µm (P=0.035) only in patients with atopic dermatitis but not in patients with asthma or rhinoconjunctivitis.

Conclusions:

Although the lack of statistical significance, atopic patients seem to have a thicker choroid compared with non-atopic patients, which could be associated with inflammatory choroidal mechanisms in patients with keratoconus.

Financial Disclosure:

None