Choroidal thickness in patients with fibromyalgia and correlation with disease severity.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare choroidal thickness in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and healthy controls.

Methods: In this prospective, cross-sectional study, forty eyes of 40 patients with FM and 40 eyes of 40 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled. FM was diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria. The choroidal thickness measurements of the subjects were obtained using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (RTVue-100, Optovue). Widespread pain index (WPI), symptom severity scale (SSS), and fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) scores were recorded. The choroidal thickness measurements of the groups were compared, and correlations among the WPI, SSS, and FIQ scores and these measurements were calculated.

Results: Choroidal thicknesses at 1500 μm nasally were 198.5 ± 46.7 μm and 306.3 ± 85.4 μm; at 1000 μm nasally were 211.7 ± 50.2 μm and 310.05 ± 87.26 μm; at 500 μm nasally were 216 ± 55.05 μm and 311.5 ± 83.4 μm; at subfoveal region were 230.9 ± 58.4 μm and 332.4 ± 91.3 μm; at 500 μm temporally 227.5 ± 58.1 μm and 318.15 ± 92.3 μm; at 1000 μm temporally 224.5 ± 57.07 μm and 315.1 ± 84.2 μm; at 1500 μm temporally 212.5 ± 56.08 μm and 312.9 ± 87.8 μm in the FM and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Choroidal thicknesses were thinner at all measurement location, except temporal 1000 and 1500 in patients with FIQ score ≥50 than in FIQ score <50.

Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that choroidal thickness decreases in patients with FM and correlated with disease activity. This choroidal changes might be related with the alterations in autonomic nervous system functioning. Further studies are needed to evaluate the etiopathologic relationship between choroidal thickness and FM.