Abstract:
Objective
Choroidal thickness (CT) has been evaluated as a marker of systemic inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This study evaluates the CT of AS patients before and after 6 months of biological treatment.
Methods
This longitudinal multicenter study evaluated CT in 44 AS patients. The correlations between CT and C-reactive protein (CRP) with disease activity indices were calculated. The concordance between CT and CRP was determined. We assessed factors associated with response to treatment. Clinically important improvement was defined as a decrease in Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score of 1.1 points or greater.
Results
Forty-four eyes in patients aged 18 to 65 years were included. Mean CT values were significantly higher at baseline than after 6 months of treatment (baseline: 355.28 ± 80.46 μm; 6 months: 341.26 ± 81.06 μm; p < 0.001). There was a 95% concordance between CT and CRP at baseline and 6 months. Clinically important improvement was associated with lower baseline CT and age as independent factors (odds ratios, 0.97 [95% confidence interval, 0.91–0.93; p = 0.009] and 0.81 [95% confidence interval, 0.7–0.95; p = 0.005]), with baseline CT of less than 374 ...