Using choroidal thickness to detect myopic macular degeneration

AIM:To explore the usage of choroidal thickness measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT)to detect myopic macular degeneration(MMD)in high myopic participants.METHODS:Participants with bilateral high myopia(≤−6 diopters)were recruited from a subset of the Guangzhou Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center-Brien Holden Vision Institute High Myopia Cohort Study.SS-OCT was performed to determine the choroidal thickness,and myopic maculopathy was graded by the International Meta-Analysis for Pathologic Myopia(META-PM)Classification.Presence of MMD was defined as META-PM category 2 or above.RESULTS:A total of 568 right eyes were included for analysis.Eyes with MMD(n=106,18.7%)were found to have older age,longer axial lengths(AL),higher myopic spherical equivalents(SE),and reduced choroidal thickness in each Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study(ETDRS)grid sector(P<0.001).The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves(AUC)for subfoveal choroidal thickness(0.907)was greater than that of the model,including age,AL,and SE at 0.6249,0.8208,and 0.8205,respectively.The choroidal thickness of the inner and outer nasal sectors was the most accurate indicator of MMD(AUC of 0.928 and 0.923,respectively).An outer nasal sector choroidal thickness of less than 74μm demonstrated the highest odds of predicting MMD(OR=33.8).CONCLUSION:Choroidal thickness detects the presence of MMD with high agreement,particularly of the inner and outer nasal sectors of the posterior pole,which appears to be a biometric parameter more precise than age,AL,or SE.

Automatic fovea detection and choroid segmentation for choroidal thickness assessment in optical coherence tomography

AIM:To develop an automated model for subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT)detection in optical coherence tomography(OCT)images,addressing manual fovea location and choroidal contour challenges.METHODS:Two procedures were proposed:defining the fovea and segmenting the choroid.Fovea localization from B-scan OCT image sequence with three-dimensional reconstruction(LocBscan-3D)predicted fovea location using central foveal depression features,and fovea localization from two-dimensional en-face OCT(LocEN-2D)used a mask region-based convolutional neural network(Mask R-CNN)model for optic disc detection,and determined the fovea location based on optic disc relative position.Choroid segmentation also employed Mask R-CNN.RESULTS:For 53 eyes in 28 healthy subjects,LocBscan-3D’s mean difference between manual and predicted fovea locations was 170.0μm,LocEN-2D yielded 675.9μm.LocEN-2D performed better in non-high myopia group(P=0.02).SFCT measurements from Mask R-CNN aligned with manual values.CONCLUSION:Our models accurately predict SFCT in OCT images.LocBscan-3D excels in precise fovea localization even with high myopia.LocEN-2D shows high detection rates but lower accuracy especially in the high myopia group.Combining both models offers a robust SFCT assessment approach,promising efficiency and accuracy for large-scale studies and clinical use.

Evaluation of retinal and choroidal thickness changes in overweight and obese adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography

AIM:To evaluate the relationship of overweight and obesity with retinal and choroidal thickness in adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT).METHODS:According to the body mass index(BMI)results,the adults enrolled in the cross-sectional study were divided into the normal group(18.50≤BMI<25.00 kg/m^(2)),the overweight group(25.00≤BMI<30.00 kg/m^(2)),and the obesity group(BMI≥30.00 kg/m^(2)).The one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test were used for comparisons.Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the measured variables.RESULTS:This research covered the left eyes of 3 groups of 434 age-and sex-matched subjects each:normal,overweight,and obesity.The mean BMI was 22.20±1.67,26.82±1.38,and 32.21±2.35 kg/m^(2) in normal,overweight and obesity groups,respectively.The choroid was significantly thinner in both the overweight and obesity groups compared to the normal group(P<0.05 for all),while the retinal thickness of the three groups did not differ significantly.Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that BMI was significantly negatively correlated with choroidal thickness,but no significant correlation was observed between BMI and retinal thickness.CONCLUSION:Choroidal thickness is decreased in people with overweight or obesity.Research on changes in choroidal thickness contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of certain ocular disorders in overweight and obese adults.

Three-dimensional choroidal vascularity index and choroidal thickness in fellow eyes of acute and chronic primary angle-closure using swept-source optical coherence tomography

AIM:To compare the three-dimensional choroidal vascularity index(CVI)and choroidal thickness between fellow eyes of acute primary angle-closure(F-APAC)and chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma(F-CPACG)and the eyes of normal controls.METHODS:This study included 37 patients with unilateral APAC,37 with asymmetric CPACG without prior treatment,and 36 healthy participants.Using swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT),the macular and peripapillary choroidal thickness and three-dimensional CVI were measured and compared globally and sectorally.Pearson’s correlation analysis and multivariate regression models were used to evaluate choroidal thickness or CVI with related factors.RESULTS:The mean subfoveal CVIs were 0.35±0.10,0.33±0.09,and 0.29±0.04,and the mean subfoveal choroidal thickness were 315.62±52.92,306.22±59.29,and 262.69±45.55μm in the F-APAC,F-CPACG,and normal groups,respectively.All macular sectors showed significantly higher CVIs and choroidal thickness in the F-APAC and F-CPACG eyes than in the normal eyes(P<0.05),while there were no significant differences between the F-APAC and F-CPACG eyes.In the peripapillary region,the mean overall CVIs were 0.21±0.08,0.20±0.08,and 0.19±0.05,and the mean overall choroidal thickness were 180.45±54.18,174.82±50.67,and 176.18±37.94μm in the F-APAC,F-CPACG,and normal groups,respectively.There were no significant differences between any of the two groups in all peripapillary sectors.Younger age,shorter axial length,and the F-APAC or F-CPACG diagnosis were significantly associated with higher subfoveal CVI and thicker subfoveal choroidal thickness(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The fellow eyes of unilateral APAC or asymmetric CPACG have higher macular CVI and choroidal thickness than those of the normal controls.Neither CVI nor choroidal thickness can distinguish between eyes predisposed to APAC or CPACG.A thicker choroid with a higher vascular volume may play a role in the pathogenesis of primary angle-closure glaucoma.

Non-linear relationship between age and subfoveal choroidal thickness in Chinese patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

BACKGROUND No study has investigated the change regularity between age and subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT)in proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR).AIM To investigate the relationship between the SFCT and age in Chinese patients with PDR.METHODS This was a cross-sectional retrospective study.The participants were hospitalized individuals with type 2 diabetes who underwent vitrectomy for PDR.Contralateral eyes that met the criteria were included in the study.All necessary laboratory tests were performed at the time of admission.Central macular thickness(CMT)and SFCT were two quantitative assessments made using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.CMT was measured automatically and SFCT was measured manually with digital calipers provided by the Heidelberg Eye Explorer software.RESULTS The final analysis included a total of 234 individuals with PDR.The average age was 55.60 years old±10.03 years old,and 57.69%of the population was male.Univariate analysis revealed a significant negative connection between age and SFCT in patients with PDR[β=-2.44,95%confidence interval(95%CI):-3.46 to-1.42;P<0.0001].In the fully adjusted model,the correlation between SFCT and age remained steady(β=-1.68,95%CI:-2.97 to-0.39;P=0.0117).Spline smoothing showed that the relationship between SFCT and age in patients with PDR was non-linear,with an inflection point at 54 years of age.CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that age is a key determinant of choroidal thickness.The non-linear link between SFCT and age in PDR patients should be taken into account.

Choroidal thickness measurements in young Saudi adult population: a cross-sectional study

AIM:To determine the choroidal thickness(CT)in young healthy Saudi adults using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)with an automated CT segmentation software.METHODS:Fifty-eight young adults(total of 116 eyes),39 males and 19 females participated in this study between the ages of 18 and 38y(mean 22.65±3.9y).All participants underwent ophthalmic screening examination,including the SD-OCT for measurements of CT in each quadrant egmented into five eccentric regions starting from the foveal region up to 4.5 mm towards the periphery.RESULTS:The choroid was thickest in the foveal region(central 1 mm,300±60μm)and began to progressively thinner beyond the parafovea(1.5–2.5 mm,284±67μm)towards the peripheral region(3.5–4.5 mm from the fovea,254±83μm).The superior choroid showed the thickest profile(309±57μm),while the nasal choroid exhibited the thinnest(229±76μm).The rate of the thinning with increasing eccentricity was more predominant in the nasal choroid,which thinned from the foveal region(294±58μm)to the peripheral region(158±55μm).The superior and inferior choroid did not show a statistically significant thinning with eccentricity(all P>0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the CT between gender,age,and laterality of the eyes(all P>0.05).A significant association of myopia with thinner subfoveal choroid was observed(Pearson’s,r=0.37),and regression analysis showed that a 10.3μm choroidal thinning for each diopter increase of myopia.CONCLUSION:CT profile depends on eccentric and the quadrant.The CT profile across the measured area in the young Saudi adult population is comparable to other previous reports.Refractive error is critical for CT evaluation.

Detection of macular ganglion cell complex loss and correlation with choroidal thickness in chronic and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy

AIM:To investigate the association of ganglion cell complex thickness(GCCt),global loss volume percentage(GLV%),and focal loss volume percentage(FLV%)with structural and functional findings among patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy(CCSC)and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy(RCSC)by optical coherence tomography(OCT).METHODS:Among 29 patients with monocular affected central serous chorioretinopathy(CSC),15 had CCSC,and 14 had RCSC.The GCCt,FLV%,GLV%,and subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT)and sublesional choroidal thickness(SLCT)values were determined using OCT,and the association of these characteristics with neural structure parameters,choroidal morphology,features and functional alterations were estimated for the CCSC and RCSC patients.RESULTS:In CCSC,the affected eyes had significantly lower GCCt values than the fellow eyes in the macular regions(all P<0.05),with the highest GCCt observed in the inferior area.A significant association was found between the GCCt in different regions and the change in best corrected visual acuity(BCVA;r=-0.696;-0.695;-0.694,P<0.05)in CCSC patients.A statistically significant moderate negative correlation indicated that long-term CCSC was associated with greater differences in the GCCt in different regions between affected and fellow eyes(r=-0.562;r=-0.556;r=0.525,P<0.05).Additionally,observation of thickened SFCT was associated with a worse FLV%(r=0.599;r=0.546,P<0.05)in both groups.Similarly,thickened SLCT was associated with FLV%in RCSC patients(r=0.544,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The distribution and GCCt are associated with the duration and visual outcomes of CCSC,whereas there is no correlation among RCSC patients.FLV%may be instrumental in differentiating the various outer choroidal vessels(pachyvessels)in long-term CSC.These results suggest that neural structure parameters may aid in estimating and predicting the recovery of altered morphology and function in CCSC and RCSC patients.

不同垂直骨面型下颌第一磨牙横向位置差异的CBCT研究

目的:使用锥形束CT(cone beam CT,CBCT)测量不同垂直骨面型下颌第一磨牙生理牙槽骨厚度,评估横向磨牙位置。方法:选取2023年1~10月在合肥市口腔医院正畸二科就诊患者50例,分为高角组、均角组及低角组,术前拍摄CBCT,数据导入配套三维软件进行4个部位不同深度牙槽骨厚度的测量分析。结果:高角患者下颌第一磨牙的骨厚度最小。下颌第一磨牙舌侧骨厚度高于颊侧。下颌第一磨牙釉牙骨质界根方4 mm处近中舌侧牙槽骨厚度高于远中舌侧,近中颊侧牙槽骨厚度与远中颊侧比较差异无统计学意义。下颌第一磨牙釉牙骨质界根方8 mm处远中颊侧牙槽骨厚度高于近中颊侧,近中舌侧的牙槽骨厚度与远中舌侧比较差异无统计学意义。下颌第一磨牙同一测量位点釉牙骨质界根方8 mm的牙槽骨厚度高于根方4 mm的牙槽骨厚度。结论:不同的垂直骨面型、测量部位、测量深度、牙齿解剖形态都会反映出下颌第一磨牙在牙槽骨中横向位置的差异。

Choroidal thickness,myopia,and myopia control interventions in children:a Meta-analysis and systemic review

AIM:To investigate changes of choroidal thickness(ChT) in children with myopia and the effect of current myopia control interventions on ChT.METHODS:Major literature databases were searched for studies relevant to myopia in children.All studies used swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT) or enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography(EDI-OCT) to measure the ChT value.The weighted mean difference(WMD) and 95% confidence interval(CI) were pooled to evaluate ChT in myopia children.RESULTS:A total of 11 eligible articles,including 1693 myopic and 1132 non-myopic eyes,were included in the first Meta-analysis.The sub-foveal choroidal thickness(SFCT;WMD=-40.06,95%CI,-59.36 to-20.75,P<0.001) and ChT at other sectors were significantly thinner in myopic eyes compared with the non-myopic eyes.The Meta-analysis revealed that the ChT decreased horizontally from the temporal sector toward the nasal sector in the pediatric myopia population.Another 11 studies reporting the effect of myopia control interventions were included in the second Meta-analysis for the relationship between myopia control treatments and ChT.SFCT significantly increased after orthokeratology(OK) treatment and OK combined with 0.01% atropine(OKA) treatment(WMD=19.47,95%CI,15.96 to 22.98,P<0.001;WMD=21.81,95%CI,12.92 to 29.70,P<0.001,respectively).The forest plots showed that SFCT changed little in myopic children receiving 0.01% atropine(P=0.30).Furthermore,the Meta-analysis showed that OK treatment had a stronger effect on the value of SFCT in myopic children as compared with 0.01% atropine(WMD=9.86;95%CI,-0.21 to 19.93,P=0.05).There is no difference between the treatment with OK and OKA treatment in ChT in myopic children(P=0.37).CONCLUSION:The ChT in myopic eyes is thinner than that in non-myopic eyes in pediatric population.Myopia control interventions including OK and OKA lead to ChT thickening,but other treatments such as 0.01% atropine did not show an increase in ChT.

Sectoral changes of the peripapillary choroidal thickness in patients with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion

AIM: To investigate sectoral changes in the mean peripapillary choroidal thickness(PCT) in patients with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO). METHODS: This retrospective, interventional study included 41 patients with acute, unilateral BRVO without macular edema. All patients completed at least a 6-month follow-up period. The PCT was measured at eight locations(temporal, superotemporal, superior, superonasal, nasal, inferonasal, inferior, and inferotemporal). In addition to calculating the average of all locations, the peripapillary choroidal area was divided into four sectors: superior(average of superotemporal PCT, superior PCT, and superonasal PCT), temporal, inferior(average of inferotemporal PCT, inferior PCT, and inferonasal PCT), and nasal. RESULTS: In the BRVO-affected eyes, the mean PCT was 177.7±69.8 μm(range, 70.1-396.0 μm) at baseline and 127.8±54.8 μm(range, 56.4-312.1 μm) at 6 mo(P<0.001). In the non-affected contralateral eyes, the mean PCT was 192.5±60.6 μm(range, 61.4-365.0 μm) at baseline and 165.9±61.1 μm(range, 56.8-326.8 μm) at 6 mo(P<0.001). In sectoral analysis, the mean PCT in each sector was significantly reduced in over 6 mo in the BRVO-affected eyes(all P<0.001). In the non-affected contralateral eyes, the mean PCT was not significantly changed in any sector over the 6-month follow-up period(superior sector, P=0.143; temporal sector, P=0.825; inferior sector, P=0.192; and nasal sector, P=0.599).CONCLUSION: Sectoral analysis shows that the mean PCTs in all sectors are reduced significantly over 6 mo in the BRVO-affected eyes, but not in the non-affected contralateral eyes.

Correlation between choroidal thickness and intraocular pressure after 23-gauge vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane

AIM： To determine the relationship between the subfoveal choroidal thickness（CT） and intraocular pressure（IOP） following idiopathic epiretinal membrane（ERM） surgery.METHODS： Retrospective observational case series of patients who had undergone 23-gauge vitrectomy for an ERM. The measurements of CT and IOP were done at the baseline and 1 d, 1 wk, 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo after the surgery.RESULTS： Forty-four eyes of 43 patients with a mean age of 69.8±9.5 y were studied. The CT was 200.8±86.3 μm at the baseline, 210.1±83.5 μm at 1 d, 213.2±85.4 μm at 1 wk, 203.1±84.0 μm at 1 mo, 197.5±85.5 μm at 3 mo, 197.7±84.0 μm at 6 mo, and 191.2±86.8 μm at 12 mo after surgery. The CT on day 1 and week 1 after the surgery was significantly thicker than that at the baseline CT（P=0.0023 and P〈0.0001）. The CT at 12 mo after surgery was significantly thinner than the baseline（P=0.0062）. The IOP on day 1 and week 1 were significantly lower than the baseline（P〈0.0001 and P=0.0042）. The IOP at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo after surgery were significantly higher than the baseline IOP（P=0.0087, P=0.0023, P〈0.00051, and P〈0.0001）. The rates of changes in the CT between baseline and day 1 and week 1 were significantly and negatively correlated with the rates of change in the IOP（P〈0.0001 and P=0.046）. In the group with the IOP change rate of-30% or less at 1 d postoperatively, the change rate of CT was-21.1% to 31.2%（9.8%±12.4%） and in the group of-29% or more, it was-8.9% to 28.0%（2.6%±8.9%）. The change rate of CT in the group with the IOP change rate of-30% or less was significantly higher than the group of-29% or more（P=0.016）.CONCLUSION： CT increases soon after the ERM surgery which is probably due to the transient hypotony, showing that IOP may be a significant confounding factor for CT.

Evaluation of choroidal thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a comparative study

AIM: To assess choroidal thickness in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS) and compare them with healthy controls, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography(OCT).METHODS: In this observational, cross-sectional study,choroidal thicknesses of 23 newly severe OSAS patients and 23 body mass index- age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were measured using a high-speed, high-resolution frequency domain- OCT device( λ = 840 nm,26 000 A-scans/s, 5 μm axial resolution). All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination before the measurements. OCT measurements were taken at the same time of day(9:00 a.m.), in order to minimize the effects of diurnal variation.RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in median choroidal thickness between the OSAS patients(201 μm; range 145-237 μm) and the controls(324 μm; range 296-383 μm;P 【0.001). There were significant differences at all measurement points(P 【0.001 for all). The apnea-hypopnea index(AHI)values were more than 30 in all OSAS patients and the mean AHI was 48.57 ±6.54. The interexaminer intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC) for the mean choroidal thickness was 0.938(95% CI, 0.908-0.985) and ICC was greater than 0.90 for all measurement points.CONCLUSION: The decreased choroidal thickness of patients with severe OSAS might be related to the the autonomic disregulation associated with this disease.Further studies are needed to evaluate the etiopathologic relationship between choroidal thickness and OSAS.

Short Term Effect of 0.02%/0.04% Atropine Sulfate Eye Drops on Choroid Thickness in Children with Myopia

Objective: Short-term effects of 0.02%/0.04% atropine sulfate eye drops on choroidal thickness in myopic children using optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods: Thirty-two children aged 6 - 12 years were selected and divided into 22 cases and 44 eyes in the 0.02%/0.04% atropine sulfate eye drops observation group and 10 cases and 20 eyes in the control group. The linear regression equation was used to evaluate the correlation among the spherical equivalent, the axial length and the subfoveal choroidal thickness, moreover, used to evaluate the correlation between the baseline and 6 months later. Independent samples T-test was used to detect whether there was any statistical difference between the nasal 1 mm subfoveal choroidal thickness and the temporal 1 mm subfoveal choroidal, meanwhile, compared with the baseline and 6 months later. P Results: After 6 months follow-up, the axial length increased by 0.067 ± 0.199 mm in the atropine group, 0.201 ± 0.081 mm in the control group (P Conclusions: 1) 0.02%/0.04% atropine sulfate eye drops can delay the growth of axial length and spherical equivalent;2) 0.02%/0.04% atropine sulfate eye drops can thicken the choroid, and the thickness of the nasal side 1mm is the same as that of the temporal side 1 mm;3) At baseline, the subfoveal choroidal thickness has no significant correlation with the axial length and spherical equivalent;4) After 6 months, changes in axial length and spherical equivalent were negatively correlated with changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness.

Evaluation of macular choroidal and microvascular network changes by activity scores and serum antibodies in thyroid eye patients and healthy subjects

AIM:To investigate the choroidal thickness and the microvascular network changes around the macula in thyroid eye disease(TED)patients at different stages and the relationship of those changes with risk factors,serum antibodies and the severity of TED.METHODS:A total of 85 participants were enrolled.All participants underwent ophthalmology and endocrinology examinations.Subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT),superficial(s)and deep(d)foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area,mean(m)and central(c)superficial vascular density(SVD),deep vascular density(DVD)measurements of the enrolled cases were performed with Topcon swept source optical coherence tomography(OCT)/OCT angiography(OCTA)DRI OCT Triton.Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the associations between SFCT,FAZ area,SVD,DVD and the relevant factors of TED.RESULTS:Those with active TED patients had higher c-DVD and m-DVD levels(P<0.05),however there is no statistically significant difference in SFCT between active and stable TED patients.Among the serum antibodies,it was observed that s-FAZ and d-FAZ increased,c-SVD and m-SVD decreased in patients with high thyroid stimulating hormone-receptor autoantibodies(TRAB)level,whereas SFCT thickened in patients with high levels of both TRAB and human thyroglobulin(hTG).There was no significant difference in SFCT,FAZ,SVD and DVD measurement at gender,between hyperthyroid and euthyroid patients and among those with or without thyroid papillary carcinoma.CONCLUSION:The results show that both disease activation and serum antibodies differentially affect both superficial and deep retinal vascular density.It has also been shown that high serum antibody levels affect choroidal thickness independent of clinical activity.

Choroidal thickness in pregnant women : a cross-sectional study

AIM: To investigate choroidal thickness in pregnant women and compare the measurements with those of normal nonpregnant women. METHODS: Using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT), choroidal thickness was measured at the fovea and at 1 mm and 3 mm superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal to the fovea in both healthy pregnant women and nonpregnant women. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships between subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and the demographic and ocular parameters. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using fixed-effects model when Meta analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Comparison of choroidal thickness between the groups showed that it was significantly greater in healthy pregnant women's eyes than in normal nonpregnant women's eyes at all locations except at 3 mm superior and 3 mm temporal from the fovea (P<0.05). The mean SFCT was 344.13 +/- 50.94 mu m in healthy pregnant women's eyes and 315.03 +/- 60.57 mu m in normal nonpregnant women's eyes, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.008). Pearson correlation analysis showed that age and axial length were significantly related to SFCT in healthy pregnant women, normal nonpregnant women, and all subjects. The results of our cross-sectional study were consistent with the results of the further Meta analysis, with a pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) of 33.66 mu m (95% CI: 26.16 to 41.15) for SFCT. CONCLUSION: Our results, along with the comprehensive Meta-analysis, suggest that choroidal thickness in healthy pregnant women is greater than that in normal nonpregnant women.

The diurnal variation pattern of choroidal thickness in macular region of young healthy female individuals using spectral domain optical coherence tomography

AIM： To investigate the pattern of diurnal variations of choroidal thickness of macular region of healthy individuals. ~ METHODS： A prospective study of 32 healthy female subjects was conducted. Each subject underwent 1） a questionnaire on daily schedule, 2） the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire （PSQI）, and 3） ocular examinations including an eye dominance test, fundus photography, and sequential optical coherence tomography （OCT） imaging, on two separate days at five fixed 3h time intervals. Choroidal thickness was measured by two masked graders. RESULTS： A significant diurnal variation of choriodal thickness at fovea （P〈0.001）, at 500 μm nasal （P〈0.001）, temporal to fovea （P=0.01） or 1500 μm nasal to fovea （P= 0.001） was observed. The median choroidal thickness peaked at 11：00 at fovea （P=0.01）, at 500μm nasal （P = 0.009） and temporal （P=0.03） to fovea. The median amplitude of foveal choroidal thickness was 20.5 pm （13, 31） and 20.0 μm （12.5, 28.2） for the first and second series of measurements, respectively. The greater amplitude of foveal choroidal thickness was associated with thickner initial foveal choroidal thickness [ 0.05 （0.03, 0.08）, P= 0.01], dominant eye 10.51 （4.02, 14.60）, P=0.04] in the multivariate linear regression. CONCLUSION： Our data show a significant diurnal variation of the choroidal thickness at fovea, at 500 μm nasal and temporal to fovea and 1500 μm nasal to fovea. Thicker initial foveal choroidal thickness and being dominant eye may influence the amplitude of foveal choroidal thickness.

CT测量支气管壁厚度对老年急性期COPD的诊断价值

目的:评估用电子计算机断层扫描(CT)测量支气管壁厚度对老年急性期慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)的诊断价值。方法:回顾性选取2021年5月—2022年5月九江市第一人民医院收治的40例老年急性期COPD患者资料作为观察组,对照组纳入40例同期老年心肺功能正常者的资料。对两组予以CT定量测量及肺功能检查,对比两组右肺上叶尖段及其亚尖段支气管气道壁厚度(WT)、WT与气道外径比(TDR)及气道壁面积(WA),分析观察组不同严重程度患者上述指标与第1秒用力呼气容积(FEV_(1))的相关性。结果:观察组右肺上叶尖段、亚尖段支气管的WT、TDR及亚尖段支气管的WA均高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组不同严重程度COPD支气管的WT、TDR、WA比较,重度组右肺上叶尖段、亚尖段支气管的WT、右肺上叶尖段支气管的TDR和右肺上叶亚尖段支气管的WA均高于轻度组和中度组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。Pearson相关性分析显示右肺上叶尖段支气管的WT与FEV_(1)呈负相关,右肺上叶亚尖段支气管的WT、TDR、WA与FEV_(1)呈负相关(P<0.05)。结论:老年急性期COPD行CT定量测量,能够反映出支气管壁厚度,帮助判断支气管情况,评估病情严重程度,与肺功能密切相关,能够为COPD的诊断、评估提供可靠的依据。

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs combined with laser photocoagulation maintain retinal ganglion cell integrity in patients with diabetic macular edema: study protocol for a prospective, non-randomized, controlled clinical trial

The integrity of retinal ganglion cells is tightly associated with diabetic macular degeneration that leads to damage and death of retinal ganglion cells,affecting vision.The major clinical treatments for diabetic macular edema are anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs and laser photocoagulation.However,although the macular thickness can be normalized with each of these two therapies used alone,the vision does not improve in many patients.This might result from the incomplete recovery of retinal ganglion cell injury.Therefore,a prospective,non-randomized,controlled clinical trial was designed to investigate the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs combined with laser photocoagulation on the integrity of retinal ganglion cells in patients with diabetic macular edema and its relationship with vision recovery.In this trial,150 patients with diabetic macular edema will be equally divided into three groups according to therapeutic methods,followed by treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs,laser photocoagulation therapy,and their combination.All patients will be followed up for 12 months.The primary outcome measure is retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness at 12 months after treatment.The secondary outcome measures include retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness before and 1,3,6,and 9 months after treatment,retinal nerve fiber layer thickness,best-corrected visual acuity,macular area thickness,and choroidal thickness before and 1,3,6,9,and 12 months after treatment.Safety measure is the incidence of adverse events at 1,3,6,9,and 12 months after treatment.The study protocol hopes to validate the better efficacy and safety of the combined treatment in patients with diabetic macula compared with the other two monotherapies alone during the 12-month follow-up period.The trial is designed to focus on clarifying the time-effect relationship between imaging measures related to the integrity of retinal ganglion cells and best-corrected visual acuity.The trial protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Beihua University with approval No.(2023)(26)on April 25,2023,and was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(registration number:ChiCTR2300072478,June 14,2023,protocol version:2.0).

Renal function and choroidal thickness using swept-source optical coherence tomography in diabetic patients

AIM: To assess the relationship between choroidal thickness and renal function in diabetic patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional retrospective clinical study of 42 eyes of 21 ocular treatment-na?ve diabetic patients. Demographic data included: age, sex, type and course of diabetes. Ocular data included: severity of diabetic retinopathy;retinal thickness at the central macular region, as well as choroidal thickness at the central and paracentral quadrants, using automatically generated maps by swept-source optical coherence tomography;presence of cystic macular edema;and ocular axial length(AXL). Lab-test parameters included: glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c), albuminuria, albumin/creatinine ratio in urine, and glomerular filtration rate. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was mainly observed between several choroidal thicknesses, age(P<0.020) and ocular AXL(P<0.030). On the contrary, a significant positive correlation was found between all choroidal thicknesses, HbA1 c(P<0.035) and albuminuria(P<0.040). CONCLUSION: Choroidal thickness can represent an additional tool to help clinicians predicting the renal status in ocular treatment-na?ve diabetic patients.

锥形束CT测量下颌低平牙槽嵴修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度及密度与修复效果的相关性分析

目的 观察锥形束CT(CBCT)测量下颌低平牙槽嵴修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度及密度与修复效果的相关性。方法选取2022年1月至2023年10月下颌低平牙槽嵴患者146例,均行全口义齿修复,随访6个月,根据义齿固位效果分为修复良好组(121例)与修复不良组(25例)。比较两组基线资料、修复前CBCT测量的牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度,分析修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度与牙槽嵴分级的关系及与修复效果的相关性,并评价修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度对修复效果的预测价值。结果修复不良组牙槽嵴分级Ⅳ级比例高于修复良好组(P<0.05);修复不良组修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度低于修复良好组(P<0.05);牙槽嵴Ⅳ级患者修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度低于修复良好组(P<0.05);修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度与牙槽嵴分级呈负相关(P<0.05);ROC曲线分析显示,修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度及联合预测下颌低平牙槽嵴修复效果的AUC为0.815、0.769、0.820、0.913;以ROC曲线获取的最佳截断值分为低值与高值,危险度分析,修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度低值的下颌低平牙槽嵴患者修复不良风险是高值患者的6.884倍、6.160倍、6.585倍(P<0.05)。结论 CBCT测量下颌低平牙槽嵴修复前牙槽骨高度、皮质骨厚度、皮质骨密度与牙槽嵴分级、修复效果显著相关,对修复效果具有较高的预测价值,可协助临床进行早期预测,为制定可靠的修复方案提供客观依据。