Corneal and ocular changes in patients with aort aneurysm

Materials and Method: The study group (group 1) included patients diagnosed with aort aneurysm in Bulent Ecevit Universty cardiology department, the control group (group 2) included healthy people attended to Bulent Ecevit Universty ophthalmology department. Sixty-three eyes of 33 patients in group 1 and 69 eyes of 35 healthy people in group 2 were studied. Complete ophthalmologic examination was performed to all subjects and steepest keratometry on sagittal curvature map (S steepest), central corneal thickness (CCT), minimum corneal thickness (Ct min), corneal volume (CV), mean pachymetric progression index (PPI mean), minimum pachymetric progression index (PPI min) ve maximum pachymetric progression index (PPI max), maksimum Ambrosio relational thickness (ART max), posterior corneal elevation (PE), back difference elevation (BDE) measurements were taken via rotational Scheimpflug corneal tomography. Sesults: The mean age of the subjects was 56,7. Thirty-eight of 68 subject were male ( 55,3 %) and 30 were female ( 44,7 %). The groups were similar in terms of age and gender (respectively p=0,082; p=0,145). There were no statistically significant difference in visual acuity and intraocular pressure between the groups (respectively p=0,47; p=0,199). There were no statistically significant difference in Ks, Kf, Km, Ct min, CCT, CV, I-S, S steepest, PE values between the groups (p>0.05). The values of PPI mean, PPI min, PP max, ART max taken from Belin / Ambrosio enhanced ectasia criteria were similar between the groups (p>0.05). Back difference elevation value was higher in group 1 and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.04). Conclusion: BDE value was found to be higher in group 1. Increase in this parameter may be seen in early stages of keratoconus. Therefore the patients diagnosed with aort aneurysm should be evaluated for keratoconic changes. Key words: Aort aneurysm, Corneal tomography, Keratoconus, Lysyl oxidase, Posterior corneal elevation, Scheimpflug