Impact of Hypothyroidism on Tomography and Biomechanics in Keratoconus – Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Assessment within the Homburg Keratoconus Center at the Time of Inclusion and after 1 Year

Abstract

Abstract Background and Purpose The etiology of keratoconus (KC) is probably multifactorial but remains essentially unknown. Previous scientific observations have suggested that hypothyroidism might play a role in the development and progression of KC. The purpose of this study was to analyze the tomographic and biomechanical parameters in KC patients with or without hypothyroidism. Methods Twenty-eight patients with KC and hypothyroidism (HT group) and fifty-six KC patients without thyroid dysfunction (WHT group) with matching gender and age were analyzed. Mean age was 40.3 years (range 14 – 57) in the HT group and 40.3 years (range 14 – 57) in the WHT group. Routine ophthalmic examinations consisted of corneal tomography and biomechanical parameters. We extracted the following KC parameters from the Pentacam (Pentacam HR, Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany): Keratoconus Index (KI), maximum keratometry (Kmax), astigmatism, and thinnest pachymetry (TP). From the ocular response analyzer (ORA, Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments, Depew, NY, USA), we extracted corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), and KC match index (KMI). Results The comparison of the tomographic and biomechanical values from cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses showed no significant differences between the HT and WHT groups. Conclusion The severity of KC based on tomographical and biomechanical parameters does not seem to depend on the presence of hypothyroidism.