[2006] [FRI0347] TYPE ABNORMALITIES IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

A.A. Drosos²,G. Kitsos ¹ , N. Tsifetaki ² , S. Gorezis ^{1 1}Ophthalmology, ²Rheumatology Clinic, Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of glaucomatous type abnormalities in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods: Seventy-eight eyes of 40 patients with SSc, 54.0±14.2 years of age and disease duration of 14.5±7.3 and 76 eyes of 38 healthy individuals (control group), 53.1±15.3 years of age, underwent complete ophthalmological evaluation. Visual acuity measurement, slitlamp biomicroscopy, Goldmann applanation tonometry, cup/disc ratio assesement with the DiSCam (Digital Stereo Camera) method and evaluation of visual optic fields (MD and PSD values) with automated static perimetry method (Humphry's perimeter) were performed. Statistical evaluation of our results was performed with SPSS v.12 using Mann-Whitney κα? Spearman tests.
Results: The visual acuity was similar in the two groups under study. Intraocular pressure did not show statistically significant differences and was under 21 mmHg in both groups. Cup/Disc ratio >0.3 was found in 33/78 eyes of patients (42.31%) and 16/76 eyes of control group (21.05%) (p<0.001). Cup/Disc >0.7 was found in 1 eye of patient with SSc (1.28%) and in none of the control group. Visual field defects (?D <-2dB) were observed in 53/78 eyes of patients (67.95%) and in 6/76 eyes of control group (7.89%) (p<0.001). Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was determined between values of PSD in visual fields of eyes of patients with SSc (3.1±1.95 dB) and those of control group (1.57±0.38 dB) (p<0.001). Combination of Cup/Disc >0.3 and visual field defects (?D <-2) was found in 20/78 eyes of patients with SSc (25.64%) and in 1/76 eyes of control group (1.32%) (p<0.001).
Conclusion: In the two groups under study, intraocular pressure was measured within normal limits. However, glaucomatous type abnormalities were more frequent in patients with SSc compared to the control group. Such abnormalities may be atributed to the vasculopathy that is observed in patients with SSc, affecting therefore and the vessels of the optic disc. Our results, suggest a careful examination of patients with SSc in order to discover on time abnormalities that may predispose to glaucoma.

Scleroderma and related syndromes