INVESTIGATE THE CHANGE OF CHOROIDAL THICKNESS IN PATIENTS WITH COMMON SYSTEMIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES: A Review.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the potential of choroidal thickness, measured through optical coherence tomography, as a biomarker for systemic inflammation in autoimmune diseases.

METHODS

A literature review of MEDLINE/PubMed databases regarding "Choroidal Thickness" in combination with specific autoimmune diseases: "rheumatoid arthritis," "systemic lupus erythematosus," "Behçet disease," "ankylosing spondylitis" and "type 1 diabetes mellitus." The final search was completed on December 13, 2024.

RESULTS

Most studies revealed that significant thinning of the choroid was noted in rheumatoid arthritis patients, while increased choroidal thickness is associated with active phases of systemic lupus erythematosus, Behçet disease, ankylosing spondylitis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus, with reductions noted during remission.

CONCLUSION

Although choroidal thickness shows potential as a biomarker for systemic inflammation, further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to confirm its reliability in autoimmune disease monitoring.