The HUC progression score: A new method for determining KERATOCONUS progression.

PURPOSE: To establish new criteria for the progression of keratoconus, taking into account a Pentacam HR (high resolution) tomographeŕs repeatability limit.

METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study, including 224 eyes in 154 patients diagnosed with keratoconus and patients treated with crosslinking, with a follow-up of at least one year, in which the new progression score of the Cruces University Hospital for keratoconus progression was analyzed. This score takes into account: maximum keratometry, thinnest corneal thickness, maximum posterior elevation, vertical coma and RMS of high order aberrations, all based on the tomographer repeatability limit. The effectiveness or not of crosslinking was determined.

RESULTS: The Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves obtained in our validation met the criteria by being far from the reference diagonal. Moreover, young patients are more likely to have keratoconus that progresses, and the percentage of patients that showed progression was 14.3% of the eyes studied, with the most advanced keratoconus showing the least progression. Taking into account the new progression score of the Cruces Hospital, we would have indicated crosslinking in 2 eyes only and we observed that none progressed one year after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: The the new progression score of the Cruces University Hospital is a method based on the real repeatability limit for keratoconic eyes. Moreover, it is easy to interpret and can be implemented with Pentacam software. It provides a numerical value that evaluates both the anterior and posterior surfaces of the cornea and corneal aberrations in the evolution of keratoconus.