Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40540038›Full record

Observational studyInternational ophthalmology2025

A novel metric to monitor early progression in keratoconus: epithelial backscatter.

Ibrahim Toprak, Celal Emre Gunes, Cigdem Martin-Seker, Osman Parca

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in International ophthalmology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ibrahim ToprakDepartment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, 20070, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey. ibrahimt@doctor.com.
Celal Emre GunesDepartment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, 20070, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey.
Cigdem Martin-SekerDepartment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, 20070, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey.
Osman ParcaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, 20070, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess the keratoconus progression over the course of one-year using epithelial and anterior stromal backscatter, Belin ABCD progression display, and various Pentacam

methodsThis single-centre, retrospective, longitudinal, observational study evaluated change in epithelial and anterior stromal backscatter (using the line densitometry feature of the Pentacam

resultsWhen compared to the baseline after one-year, epithelial backscatter increased (p < 0.05); posterior radius of curvature, BAD-D, average PPI, index of vertical asymmetry (IVA), and index of height decentration (IHD) worsened (p < 0.05); and the anterior stromal backscatter, keratometry values, Belin ABCD stages, thinnest pachymetry, elevations, and ARTmax remained stable (p > 0.05). There were statistically significant weak-to-moderate correlations between the backscatter values and Pentacam

conclusionEpithelial backscatter can be considered a novel parameter to monitor the progression of keratoconus, as it was found to have similar abilities to those of the posterior radius of curvature, BAD-D, average PPI, IVA, and IHD, all of which demonstrated early evolution during one-year of follow-up, while the front keratometric data exhibited no progression. Moreover, by generalizing single-point backscatter data to the entire corneal surface, epithelial backscatter can be integrated into Pentacam

Indexed as

Corneal TopographyEpithelium, CornealKeratoconusAdolescentAdultCorneal PachymetryCorneal StromaDisease ProgressionFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesScattering, RadiationYoung AdultBackscatterDensitometryEpitheliumKeratoconusPentacamProgression

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.