Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging
Abstract This study aimed to evaluate ocular surface temperature (OST) in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging. There were 16 participants (32 eyes) in the control group, 22 participants (44 eyes) in the moderate and low post-COVID-19 fever group (M &am...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Chunbo Wu Baicheng Li Yuanshen Huang Banglian Xu Songlin Zhuang Zhensheng Gu |
| author_facet | Chunbo Wu Baicheng Li Yuanshen Huang Banglian Xu Songlin Zhuang Zhensheng Gu |
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| description | Abstract This study aimed to evaluate ocular surface temperature (OST) in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging. There were 16 participants (32 eyes) in the control group, 22 participants (44 eyes) in the moderate and low post-COVID-19 fever group (M & L fever group), and 18 participants (36 eyes) in the high post-COVID-19 fever group (H fever group). All participants underwent an ophthalmic slit lamp examination and ocular thermography. Among the control group, M & L fever group and H fever group, there were no significant differences in the upper eyelid temperature (UET), inner canthus temperature (ICT), outer canthus temperature (OCT), initial central corneal temperature (initial CCT), third-second central corneal temperature (3s-CCT), or sixth-second central corneal temperature (6s-CCT). However, the change in central corneal temperature measured within 1, 3, and 6 s (change in CCT within 1, 3, and 6 s) of the H fever group were significantly greater than those of the control group (0.15 ± 0.12 °C vs. 0.08 ± 0.09 °C, p = 0.007; 0.30 ± 0.22 °C vs. 0.17 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.005; 0.45 ± 0.30 °C vs. 0.26 ± 0.23 °C, p = 0.004, respectively) and M & L fever group (0.15 ± 0.12 °C vs. 0.08 ± 0.08 °C, p = 0.008; 0.30 ± 0.22 °C vs. 0.16 ± 0.14 °C, p = 0.001; 0.45 ± 0.30 °C vs. 0.23 ± 0.20 °C, p < 0.001, respectively). To further investigate the relationship between OST and post-COVID-19 fever, we compared the OST of long recovery time (5 days < recovery time < 14 days; 9 patients, 18 eyes) and short recovery time (recovery time ≤ 5 days; 9 patients, 18 eyes) in the H fever group. We found that the 6s-CCT in the short recovery time group was significantly lower than that in the long recovery time group (32.43 ± 1.09 °C vs.33.10 ± 0.82 °C, p = 0.044). Additionally, the change in CCT within 1 s, 3 s, and 6 s in the short recovery time group were all significantly greater than those in the long recovery time group (0.19 ± 0.13 °C vs. 0.11 ± 0.10 °C, p = 0.048; 0.38 ± 0.24 °C vs. 0.22 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.026; 0.58 ± 0.31 °C vs. 0.32 ± 0.24 °C, p = 0.016, respectively). In conclusion, the central corneal temperature (CCT) of patients who have an insufficient recovery time from COVID-19 infection or who exhibit severe infection symptoms could decrease faster when the eyes open. This may be due to dry eye disease. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-937fbcfb860c4cb584cb5c5d23897ee82025-01-26T12:30:14ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-86407-yEvaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imagingChunbo Wu0Baicheng Li1Yuanshen Huang2Banglian Xu3Songlin Zhuang4Zhensheng Gu5School of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologySchool of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologySchool of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologySchool of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologySchool of Optical Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyDepartment of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAbstract This study aimed to evaluate ocular surface temperature (OST) in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging. There were 16 participants (32 eyes) in the control group, 22 participants (44 eyes) in the moderate and low post-COVID-19 fever group (M & L fever group), and 18 participants (36 eyes) in the high post-COVID-19 fever group (H fever group). All participants underwent an ophthalmic slit lamp examination and ocular thermography. Among the control group, M & L fever group and H fever group, there were no significant differences in the upper eyelid temperature (UET), inner canthus temperature (ICT), outer canthus temperature (OCT), initial central corneal temperature (initial CCT), third-second central corneal temperature (3s-CCT), or sixth-second central corneal temperature (6s-CCT). However, the change in central corneal temperature measured within 1, 3, and 6 s (change in CCT within 1, 3, and 6 s) of the H fever group were significantly greater than those of the control group (0.15 ± 0.12 °C vs. 0.08 ± 0.09 °C, p = 0.007; 0.30 ± 0.22 °C vs. 0.17 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.005; 0.45 ± 0.30 °C vs. 0.26 ± 0.23 °C, p = 0.004, respectively) and M & L fever group (0.15 ± 0.12 °C vs. 0.08 ± 0.08 °C, p = 0.008; 0.30 ± 0.22 °C vs. 0.16 ± 0.14 °C, p = 0.001; 0.45 ± 0.30 °C vs. 0.23 ± 0.20 °C, p < 0.001, respectively). To further investigate the relationship between OST and post-COVID-19 fever, we compared the OST of long recovery time (5 days < recovery time < 14 days; 9 patients, 18 eyes) and short recovery time (recovery time ≤ 5 days; 9 patients, 18 eyes) in the H fever group. We found that the 6s-CCT in the short recovery time group was significantly lower than that in the long recovery time group (32.43 ± 1.09 °C vs.33.10 ± 0.82 °C, p = 0.044). Additionally, the change in CCT within 1 s, 3 s, and 6 s in the short recovery time group were all significantly greater than those in the long recovery time group (0.19 ± 0.13 °C vs. 0.11 ± 0.10 °C, p = 0.048; 0.38 ± 0.24 °C vs. 0.22 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.026; 0.58 ± 0.31 °C vs. 0.32 ± 0.24 °C, p = 0.016, respectively). In conclusion, the central corneal temperature (CCT) of patients who have an insufficient recovery time from COVID-19 infection or who exhibit severe infection symptoms could decrease faster when the eyes open. This may be due to dry eye disease.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86407-yCOVID-19Ocular surface temperatureDry eye diseaseEvaporative dry eyeOcular thermographyInfrared thermal imaging |
| spellingShingle | Chunbo Wu Baicheng Li Yuanshen Huang Banglian Xu Songlin Zhuang Zhensheng Gu Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging Scientific Reports COVID-19 Ocular surface temperature Dry eye disease Evaporative dry eye Ocular thermography Infrared thermal imaging |
| title | Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging |
| title_full | Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging |
| title_short | Evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post-COVID-19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging |
| title_sort | evaluation of ocular surface temperature in post covid 19 patients with different degrees of fever via infrared thermal imaging |
| topic | COVID-19 Ocular surface temperature Dry eye disease Evaporative dry eye Ocular thermography Infrared thermal imaging |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86407-y |
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