Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Evaluation of Capillary and Other Vessel Contribution to Macular Perfusion Density Measured with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: February 18, 2022
Choroidal Thickness May Shed Light on Early Coronary Artery Disease
E Tenekecioglu1, H Tenekecioglu2, I Kadife3
1Department of Cardiology, Bursa Health Application Research Centre, Bursa Medicine School, University of Health Sciences, Bursa, Turkey.
Insights
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is linked to thinner choroid thickness (CTh), even in early stages. Measuring CTh may help predict early CAD, offering a new diagnostic approach.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Early detection of CAD is crucial for effective intervention and improved patient outcomes.
- Ophthalmological parameters are increasingly being investigated for their potential role in systemic disease prediction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between choroid thickness (CTh) and coronary artery disease (CAD).
- To determine if CTh can serve as an early predictor for CAD before clinical manifestation.
- To correlate CTh with the severity of CAD, assessed by Gensini score (Gsc).
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 68 patients with documented CAD and 60 healthy controls.
- Choroid thickness (CTh) was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.
- Coronary angiograms were analyzed to determine Gensini scores (Gsc) for CAD severity assessment.
Main Results:
- Patients with CAD exhibited significantly thinner CTh compared to healthy individuals across all measured areas.
- Lower CTh in the temporal-1000 region was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of early CAD (OR: 0.812).
- CTh measurement at temporal 1000 < 259 μm demonstrated potential in predicting early CAD with 82% sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- An inverse relationship exists between choroid thickness (CTh) and coronary artery disease (CAD), even in its early stages.
- CTh measurement presents a potential non-invasive method for predicting early-stage CAD.
- Further research can explore the clinical utility of CTh in cardiovascular risk stratification.
Aim:
To investigate any relationship between choroid thickness (CTh) and coronary artery disease (CAD), particularly in its earlier stages before clinically evident.
Methods:
The study was performed in two institutions, in B. C. Hospital and B. E. R. Hospital. The ophthalmological examinations and coronary angiograms were performed in B. C. Hospital. The analysis of the coronary angiograms including determination of Gensini scores (Gsc) were conducted in B. E. R. Hospital. The study group comprised 136 eyes (in 68 patients) with documented CAD and 120 healthy eyes (in 60 healthy control subjects). Following measurements of macular thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer, CTh of both eyes was assessed by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. During the analyzes, main outcome measures were CTh in CAD patients and healthy subjects, correlation between CAD severity-based on Gsc- and CTh in CAD patients.
Results:
The study group comprised 68 patients (136 eyes) with documented CAD and 60 healthy controls (120 eyes) without any CAD or CAD equivalent disease. In all measured areas (central fovea, nasal and temporal area), CTh was thinner in all Gsc subgroups of CAD patients compared to the healthy group. Even in the lower Gsc subgroup, CTh was significantly thinner compared to the healthy group. A multivariate logistic analysis was conducted and lower CTh in temporal-1000 regions were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of early CAD [OR: 0.812 (CI: 0.762, 0.944), P : 0.032]. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis disclosed CTh at temporal 1000 < 259 μm may predict early CAD (Gsc < 11) with 82% sensitivity and 58% specificity (AUC: 0.68, P < 0.001, CI: 0.65-0.76).
Conclusion:
Even in its earlier stages, CAD has inverse relationship with CTh, which may give oppurtunity for CTh measurement to predict CAD at earlier phases.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
01:26Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology
01:27Atherosclerosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Tests
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT