Assessment of corneal parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE: To assess the corneal parameters in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

METHODS

We enrolled 64 patients with RA (32 receiving biologic and 32 receiving conventional drugs) and 32 healthy subjects. Keratometric values (anterior flat [K1], steep [K2], and mean keratometry [Km]), corneal thickness from the pupil center (CCT), apex (ACT), and the thinnest point (TCT), and corneal volume (CV) were measured and compared between the groups.

RESULTS

K1, K2, and Km values were significantly higher in the RA group (P = 0.013, P = 0.048, P = 0.027, respectively). The means of CCT, ACT, TCT, and CV were significantly lower in RA patients (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.011, respectively). When we divided RA patients into two groups according to the treatment and compared them to controls, the differences in K1, CCT, ACT, TCT and CV were significant (P = 0.030, P = 0.005, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.034, respectively). K1 and CV values of RA-biologic group were similar to the control group (P = 0.205 and P = 0.127, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Biologic agents contribute to the improvement of K1 and CV values in patients with RA.