Investigate the change of choroidal thickness in patients with common systemic autoimmune diseases:A review

Andrew Fang; Ming-Yen Wang; Yo-Chen Chang; Kuo-Jen Chen; Kai-Chun Cheng

doi:10.1097/IAE.0000000000004583

Investigate the change of choroidal thickness in patients with common systemic autoimmune diseases:A review

Retina. 2025 Jun 23. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000004583. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Andrew Fang^{1

2}, Ming-Yen Wang^{1

3}, Yo-Chen Chang^{4

5

6}, Kuo-Jen Chen⁶, Kai-Chun Cheng^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ School of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
² Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
³ Department of Pathology and Graduate Institute of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

PMID: 40591951
DOI: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000004583

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the potential of choroidal thickness, measured via optical coherence tomography (OCT), as a biomarker for systemic inflammation in autoimmune diseases.

Methods: A literature review of MEDLINE/PubMed databases regarding "Choroidal Thickness" in combination with specific autoimmune diseases: "Rheumatoid Arthritis", "Systemic Lupus Erythematosus", "Behçet's Disease", "Ankylosing Spondylitis" and "Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus". The final search was completed on December 13, 2024.

Results: Most studies revealed significant thinning of the choroid was noted in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients, while increased choroidal thickness is associated with active phases of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Behçet's Disease (BD), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), with reductions noted during remission.

Conclusion: Although choroidal thickness shows potential as a biomarker for systemic inflammation, further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to confirm its reliability in autoimmune disease monitoring.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis Ankylosing Spondylitis Behçet’s Disease Choroidal thickness Optical coherence tomography Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.