Korean J Ophthalmol.  2013 Dec;27(6):433-439. 10.3341/kjo.2013.27.6.433.

Comparison of Choroidal Thickness in Patients with Diabetes by Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography

• Lee HK
• Lim JW
• Shin MC

• KMID: 1792079
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2013.27.6.433

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate choroidal thickness in diabetes patients using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
METHODS
We examined 203 eyes of 203 diabetic participants and 48 eyes of 48 healthy controls. The choroidal thickness at the foveal lesion was measured by enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography. The participants were grouped according to diabetic retinopathy grade: no diabetic change, mild-to-moderate or severe non-proliferative, or proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The study parameters included history, age, axial length, intraocular pressure, central retinal thickness, fasting glucose, and blood pressure.
RESULTS
The subfoveal choroidal thickness was thinner in eyes with non-proliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy than in normal eyes (p < 0.01). However, there was no difference between eyes with non-proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy or between eyes with no diabetic change and the controls. Eyes exhibiting macular edema showed no significant difference in choroidal thickness compared with eyes having normal macular contours.
CONCLUSIONS
The central choroid is thinner when eyes show diabetic changes on the retina. However, the presence of diabetic macular edema or proliferative change is not associated with more pronounced choroidal thinning.

Keyword

Choroidal thickness; Diabetic retinopathy; Optical coherence tomography

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Choroid/*pathology
Diabetic Retinopathy/*diagnosis
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Reproducibility of Results
Retrospective Studies
Seveso Accidental Release
Tomography, Optical Coherence/*methods

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Optical coherence tomography images using enhanced-depth imaging. The choroidal thickness (white arrow) was defined as the vertical distance from the hyperreflective line of the Bruch's membrane to the outermost hyperreflective line, as measured in micrometers. (A) Representative scan of a normal individual. (B) Representative scan of an individual with severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy; note that the choroid is thinner than in the normal individual. (C) Representative scan of an individual with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The image shows normal macular contours. (D) Representative scan of an individual with PDR and macular edema.

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