Corneal Epithelial Thickness Linked to Psoriasis Severity

According to a study published in Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, there is a significant correlation between psoriasis severity and central corneal epithelial thickness (CCET).

Researchers aimed to evaluate the relationship between the severity of psoriasis and CCET. Previous research has primarily focused on ocular manifestations in psoriasis, such as uveitis and blepharitis, and abnormalities in dry eye tests.

The study included 175 eyes of 175 patients with psoriasis and 57 eyes of 57 healthy individuals as a control group. The patients with psoriasis were divided into 3 subgroups based on their Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores: <10 for mild, 10 to 20 for moderate, and >20 for severe. CCET was measured using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and mean CCET values were recorded. The mean CCET values were compared between the psoriasis groups and the control group, and the relationship between PASI score and CCET was examined.

The results showed that the mean CCET values were significantly higher in all psoriasis groups compared with the control group (P<.001). Furthermore, there was a significant increase in mean CCET value from the mild to moderate psoriasis group (P=.018) and from the moderate to severe psoriasis group (P<.001). The study also found a strong positive correlation between PASI score and CCET (P<.001, r=.519).

“Contactless measurement of CCET by SD-OCT can be an indicator of psoriasis severity,” the authors concluded.

Reference
Güneş İB, Aksoy B, Öztürk H, Yavrum F, Özen B. Does corneal epithelial thickness show the severity of psoriasis? SD-OCT study. An Bras Dermatol. 2023;S0365-0596(23)00140-X. doi:10.1016/j.abd.2022.11.006