Effects of Laboratory Parameters on Tear Tests and Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Pediatric Celiac Disease

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the tear parameters and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in children with celiac disease (CD) and to investigate the relationship between these findings and laboratory data.
Material and Methods: The study included 100 eyes of 50 CD patients as well as 110 eyes of 55 healthy subjects with no ocular pathology as a control group. Best corrected visual acuity was evaluated, baseline tear volume was estimated using standard Schirmer's test, and fluorescein tear film break-up time (TBUT) was determined for all participants. Pupillary dilation was induced and macular sections and optic disc sections were obtained with OCT.
Results: The patient and control groups showed no statistically significant differences in terms of age and gender distribution (p=0.490, and p=0.930, respectively). Mean Schirmer's test measurement was significantly lower in the CD patients compared to the control group (14.07 +/- 5.14 mm vs. 20.20 +/- 3.93 mm, p<0.001). TBUT was also shorter in the CD patients compared to the control subjects (10.86 +/- 3.51 s vs. 15.25 +/- 2.49 s, p<0.001). Mean total retinal thickness and outer retinal thickness values were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (p<0.001, for both parameters). In addition, the mean retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurement was significantly thinner in the patient group than in the control group (p<0.001).
Conclusion: In the presented study, it was observed that macular and RNFL thickness were decreased in children with CD compared to the control group, and tear tests were also impaired.