Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology

Published in:

23-05-2024 | Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | Inflammatory Disorders

Subclinical choroidal involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Authors: André Ferreira, Luísa Viveiros, Raquel Faria, Ana Carolina Abreu, Daniela Santos, Maria João Furtado, Miguel Lume, José P. Andrade, Pedro Menéres

Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology | Issue 10/2024

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the choroidal status of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and OCT-Angiography.

Methods

SLE patients with disease duration < 10 years, no disease activity and no ocular involvement were recruited and cross-sectionally evaluated. A demographically similar cohort of healthy subjects was used for comparison. The main outcome is choroidal vascularity index (CVI). As secondary outcomes, choriocapillaris parameters and choroidal thickness (CT) were evaluated.

Results

Forty eyes of 40 subjects (20 SLE patients and 20 healthy subjects) were studied with a mean ± SD age of 36.7 ± 9.9 years. In the SLE group, the mean ± SD duration of disease was 7.35 ± 2.21 years. Increased CVI was found in the SLE group (p = 0.022). Considering the choriocapillaris, SLE patients presented a lower number (p = 0.037) and a smaller total area (p = 0.041) of signal voids. No differences between groups were found in CT. For SLE patients, CT at subfoveal, temporal and inferior locations presented a negative moderate correlation with disease duration. A strong correlation between choriocapillaris parameters and age was demonstrated for both groups.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence of subclinical choroidal changes in adult SLE patients with inactive disease and no overt ocular manifestation. Increased CVI and fewer and smaller flow voids in choriocapillaris with normal CT suggest increased choroidal vascularity in SLE.

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Title: Subclinical choroidal involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: André Ferreira
Luísa Viveiros
Raquel Faria
Ana Carolina Abreu
Daniela Santos
Maria João Furtado
Miguel Lume
José P. Andrade
Pedro Menéres
Publication date: 23-05-2024
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Angiography
Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology / Issue 10/2024
Print ISSN: 0721-832X
Electronic ISSN: 1435-702X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-024-06526-6

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Abstract

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