Choroidal structural changes and choroidal vascularity index in patients with systemic hypertension

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Systemic hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
• The choroid, a vascular layer of the eye, may be affected by hypertensive changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of systemic hypertension on choroidal structure and choroidal vascularity index (CVI).

Main Methods:

• A prospective cross-sectional study involving 50 treatment-naive hypertensive patients and 50 healthy controls.
• Choroidal thickness (CT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) were measured using enhanced depth-optical coherence tomography.
• Image analysis was performed using Image-J software for binarization and statistical comparison.

Main Results:

• Hypertensive patients exhibited significantly decreased subfoveal, nasal, and temporal choroidal thickness (CT).
• Choroidal area (CA), luminal area (LA), and CVI were significantly reduced in the hypertensive group compared to controls.
• A significant negative correlation was found between subfoveal CT and systolic blood pressure, and between CVI and systolic blood pressure.

Conclusions:

• Treatment-naive hypertension leads to significant reductions in choroidal structural parameters and CVI.
• These findings indicate that the choroid is structurally affected in patients with untreated systemic hypertension.