RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) on low-dose chronic systemic corticosteroid therapy and compare with control subjects. DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparative study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 86 patients with CTD were grouped according to corticosteroid therapy. Group 1 (n = 27) was composed of patients with CTD receiving low-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy (<10 mg prednisone or its equivalent oral corticosteroid) for at least 6 months, and group 2 (n = 59) included patients with CTD without use of corticosteroid therapy. Group 3 (n = 20) was composed of healthy control subjects. METHODS: All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation by an experienced investigator and had their clinical records reviewed by another independent investigator. IOP was measured by Goldmann applanation tonometry. RESULTS: In all 3 groups, the IOPs were within the normal range. The mean IOP was 13.1 ± 2.7 mm Hg (range 8-19 mm Hg) in the CTD corticosteroid group (group 1), 13.7 ± 2.7 mm Hg (range 9-22 mm Hg) in CTD group without corticosteroid therapy (group 2), and 13.1 ± 1.6 mm Hg (range 10-16 mm Hg) in the control group (group 3). No significant differences in IOP were observed among the 3 groups (p = 0.50). CONCLUSIONS: Patients under chronic treatment with low-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy for CTD presented with IOP within the normal range, not clinically significant different from the IOP of patients with CTD without any steroid therapy or from healthy control subjects.