Chiara Del Noce1,2, Aldo Vagge3,4, Massimo Nicolò1,2, Carlo Enrico Traverso1,2. 1. Eye Clinic of Genoa, Policlinico San Martino, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DiNOGMI), University Eye Clinic, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 5, 16132, Genova, Italy. 2. IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genova, Italy. 3. Eye Clinic of Genoa, Policlinico San Martino, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DiNOGMI), University Eye Clinic, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 5, 16132, Genova, Italy. aldo.vagge@gmail.com. 4. IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genova, Italy. aldo.vagge@gmail.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in choroidal thickness and in choroidal vascular blood flow in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) and their relationship with clinical features and disease activity using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and Angio-OCT technology. METHODS: Eighteen patients and control subjects underwent a complete eye examination, OCT, and Angio-OCT. We also obtained angiographic scans at 3 different consecutive levels (L1, L2, and L3) below the choriocapillary. RESULTS: The subfoveal choroid was significantly thicker in TAO patients than the control eyes (285.6275 ± 32.5 μm compared with 135.89 ± 19.8 μm, respectively, p = 0.0089). The correlation analysis in the TAO group showed a significant correlation between the choroidal thickness and EUGOGO clinical score (r = 0.84, p = 8.44032E-07). Vascular flow of choriocapillary was markedly reduced in subjects with TAO compared with healthy subjects (49.78 ± 4.5 vs. 53.36 ± 1.07; p = 2.5105E-07) and vascular flow of the deeper layer L3 resulted higher in subjects with TAO than in healthy subjects (46.9 ± 20.23 and 41.475 ± 3.06; p = 0.01168). CONCLUSIONS: Subfoveal choroidal thickness and choroidal blood flow were significantly different in patients with TAO compared with healthy subjects.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in choroidal thickness and in choroidal vascular blood flow in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) and their relationship with clinical features and disease activity using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and Angio-OCT technology. METHODS: Eighteen patients and control subjects underwent a complete eye examination, OCT, and Angio-OCT. We also obtained angiographic scans at 3 different consecutive levels (L1, L2, and L3) below the choriocapillary. RESULTS: The subfoveal choroid was significantly thicker in TAOpatients than the control eyes (285.6275 ± 32.5 μm compared with 135.89 ± 19.8 μm, respectively, p = 0.0089). The correlation analysis in the TAO group showed a significant correlation between the choroidal thickness and EUGOGO clinical score (r = 0.84, p = 8.44032E-07). Vascular flow of choriocapillary was markedly reduced in subjects with TAO compared with healthy subjects (49.78 ± 4.5 vs. 53.36 ± 1.07; p = 2.5105E-07) and vascular flow of the deeper layer L3 resulted higher in subjects with TAO than in healthy subjects (46.9 ± 20.23 and 41.475 ± 3.06; p = 0.01168). CONCLUSIONS: Subfoveal choroidal thickness and choroidal blood flow were significantly different in patients with TAO compared with healthy subjects.
Authors: Dominik Odrobina; Iwona Laudańska-Olszewska; Piotr Gozdek; Mariusz Maroszyński; Michael Amon Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2013-06-11 Impact factor: 3.411