Effect of Systemically Used Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Medication on the Corneal Epithelium and Stroma of Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis

ABSTRACTPurpose: To evaluate the effect of systemically used anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) medication on the thickness of corneal epithelium and stroma in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Methods: A total of 125 eyes of 69 participants were included in this retrospective study of three groups: healthy participants (Group 1), AS patients receiving anti–TNF-α medication (Group 2), and AS patients receiving a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (Group 3).Results: According to anterior segment optical coherence tomography, the mean thickness of the corneal epithelium was significantly thicker in Group 2 than in Group 3 (51.6 ± 3.2 µm versus 50.4 ± 3 µm, p = 0.01), as was that of the stroma (475 ± 33 µm versus 443 ± 29 µm, p = 0.002).Conclusions: Anti–TNF-α medication and/or avoidance of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs could improve the thickness of both the corneal epithelium and stroma in AS patients.