Pregnancy-induced Changes in Corneal Biomechanics and Topography Are Thyroid Hormone Related.

David Tabibian, Begoña M de Tejada, Zisis Gatzioufas, Sabine Kling, Vanessa S Meiss, Marc-Olivier Boldi, Véronique Othenin-Girard, Antonina Chilin, Julien Lambiel, Florence Hoogewoud, Farhad Hafezi

Journal: American journal of ophthalmology 2017;184():129-136

PMID: 29032108

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

PURPOSE

To identify biomechanical and topographic changes of the cornea during pregnancy and the postpartum period and its association to hormonal changes.

DESIGN

Prospective single-center observational cohort study.

METHODS

Participants were 24 pregnant women (48 eyes), monitored throughout pregnancy and after delivery. Biomechanical and topographic corneal properties were measured using the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA) and a Scheimpflug imaging system (Pentacam HR) each trimester and 1 month after delivery. At the same consultations blood plasma levels of estradiol (E2) and thyroid hormones (TSH, T3t, T4t) were also determined. A factorial MANCOVA was used to detect interactions between hormonal plasma levels and ocular parameters.

RESULTS

Significant differences in corneal biomechanical and topographic parameters were found during pregnancy in relation to T3t (p = .01), T4t (p < .001), T3t/T4t (P = .001), and TSH (p = .001) plasma levels. E2 plasma levels (p = .092) and time period of measurement (p = .975) did not significantly affect corneal parameters. TSH levels significantly affected the maximal keratometry reading (p = .036), the vertical keratometry reading (p = .04), and the index of height asymmetry (p = .014). Those results persist after excluding hypothyroidism patients from the statistical analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Hormonal changes affecting corneal biomechanics and topography during pregnancy could be thyroid related. Dysthyroidism may directly influence corneal biomechanics and represents a clinically relevant factor that needs further investigation.

Address: Department of Ophthalmology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.; Obstetrics Service, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.; Department of Ophthalmology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine (CABMM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.; Research Center for Statistics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.; Obstetrics Service, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.; Center for Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine (CABMM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; ELZA Institute, Dietikon, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, USC Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.10.001

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MeSH Terms: Adult, Cornea, Corneal Diseases, Corneal Topography, Elasticity, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Postpartum Period, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Prospective Studies, Thyroid Hormones