Do Choroidal Melanocytes Affect Choroidal Thickness in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Vitiligo?

Year 2022, Volume: 6 Issue: 3, 404 - 409, 27.12.2022

Göktuğ Demirci , Gülşen Tükenmez Demirci , Sevil Karaman Erdur , Cafer Tanrıverdi

https://doi.org/10.29058/mjwbs.1122056

Abstract

Aim: Vitiligo is a chronic skin disease and considered to be an autoimmune, neural, and autocytotoxic
pathophysiology in which mainly the melanocytes in the epidermis are focused and destroyed.
Therefore, alterations in the choroid and retinal pigment epithelium are expected, and there are very
few publications using modern technology in research of this subject.
This study aimed to examine the optic disc, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and choroidal thickness
in patients with vitiligo by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) as a prospective
observational study.
Material and Methods: This single-center prospective cross-sectional study included 40 eyes of 40
patients with vitiligo and 42 eyes of 42 healthy individuals. The RNFL thickness, choroidal thickness,
and optic disc parameters (rim area, disc area, and cup volume) were compared between the two
groups.
Results: The study consisted of 21 female and 19 male in the vitiligo group, and 21 female and 21
male in controls; no difference was found in gender distribution between two groups (p=0.836). Vitiligo
and control groups had similar optic disc parameters, and RNFL and choroidal thicknesses; so the
differences in the mentioned parameters did not differ statistically (p>0.05 for all).
Conclusion: Vitiligo patients’ optic disc parameters, and RNFL and choroidal thicknesses did not differ
from those in healthy individuals. Based on unknown pathogenesis, the melanocytes at the choroidal
region may have compensatory mechanisms in vitiligo.

Keywords

choroid, OCT, retina, vitiligo

Vitiligo Tanısı Yeni Konulan Hastalarda Koroid Melanositleri Koroid Kalınlıklarını Etkiler mi?

Abstract

Amaç: Vitiligo, kronik bir deri hastalığıdır ve esas olarak epidermisteki melanositlerin hedef alındığı ve yok edildiği otoimmün, nöral ve otositotoksik bir patofizyoloji olarak kabul edilir. Bu nedenle koroidde ve retina pigment epitelinde değişiklikler beklenir ve bu konuda modern teknolojiyi kullanan çok az yayın mevcuttur
Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çalışmada vitiligolu hastalarda optik disk, retina sinir lifi tabakası (RSLT) ve koroid kalınlığının spektral alan optik koherens tomografi (SD-OKT) ile incelenmesi prospektif gözlemsel bu çalışma amaçlandı. Bu tek merkezli prospektif kesitsel çalışmaya vitiligolu 40 hastanın 40 gözü ve 42 sağlıklı bireyin 42 gözü dahil edildi. RSLT kalınlığı, koroid kalınlığı ve optik disk parametreleri (rim alanı, disk alanı ve cup hacmi) iki grup arasında karşılaştırıldı.
Bulgular: Çalışmaya vitiligo grubunda 21 kadın ve 19 erkek, kontrol grubunda 21 kadın ve 21 erkek; iki grup arasında cinsiyet dağılımı açısından fark bulunmadı (p=0,836). Vitiligo ve kontrol gruplarında benzer optik disk parametreleri, RSLT ve koroid kalınlıkları; yani bahsedilen parametrelerdeki farklılıklar istatistiksel olarak farklı değildi (tümü için p>0.05).
Sonuç: Vitiligo hastalarının optik disk parametreleri, RSLT ve koroid kalınlıkları sağlıklı bireylerden farklı değildi. Bilinmeyen bir patogeneze bağlı olarak, koroid bölgesindeki melanositlerin vitiligoda kendini telafi edici mekanizmaları olabilir.

Keywords

koroid, OCT, retina, vitiligo

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