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Choroidal Changes in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy: A Retrospective Study
Shu-Yu Peng1, Ta-Ching Chen1,2, Yi-Ting Hsieh1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10029, Taiwan.
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 13, 2024
Summary
Diabetic retinopathy alters choroidal thickness and vascularity. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) positively correlates with choroidal thickness, while choroidal vascular index (CVI) shows a negative correlation in diabetic patients.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Diabetology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss.
- Choroidal changes are increasingly recognized in diabetes.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for managing DR complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate choroidal structural and vascular changes in diabetic retinopathy.
- To identify factors influencing choroidal thickness (CTh), choroidal vascular index (CVI), and choriocapillaris flow.
- To correlate these findings with systemic metabolic markers.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 79 eyes from 48 diabetic patients.
- Collection of laboratory data (HbA1c, lipids, creatinine).
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging for retinal and choroidal analysis, including CTh, CVI, and flow parameters.
Main Results:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) showed a positive correlation with CTh (p < 0.001).
- Choroidal vascular index (CVI) was negatively correlated with CTh (p = 0.007).
- A negative correlation between choriocapillaris flow and deep parafoveal retinal vessel density was observed in early DR, diminishing in advanced stages.
Conclusions:
- Diabetic retinopathy is associated with significant alterations in choroidal thickness and vascularity.
- Systemic factors like LDL and CVI play a role in modulating choroidal structure.
- Choroidal blood flow dynamics are altered in DR, with varying correlations to retinal vascularity depending on disease severity.
