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Alteration of choroidal vascular structure in diabetic macular edema

  • Retinal Disorders
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to analyze choroidal structures in healthy subjects and patients with/without diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods

This was a retrospective observation case control study. Four hundred and two eyes of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), and 124 age-matched eyes of healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. DM patients were divided into 3 groups: presence of central-involved (CI) DME (n = 81) and nonCI-DME/non-DME (n = 321), based on OCT findings. Central choroidal thickness (CCT) and total choroidal, luminal, and stromal areas were determined using EDI-OCT and a binarization method, respectively. The luminal area expressed as a ratio of the total choroidal area was defined as the L/C ratio.

Results

DM eyes showed a significantly lower L/C ratio than control eyes, whereas there was no significant difference in CCT or total choroidal, luminal, or stromal areas. There was no significant difference between CI-DME and non-DME groups in HbA1c, blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or renal function. CCT and total choroidal, luminal, and stromal areas were significantly greater in the CI-DME group than non-DME group (each P < 0.05).

Conclusions

These results suggest that CCT was thickened in the presence of DME, associated with both increased luminal and stromal areas, which might be related to the pathology of DME.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, N15 W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan

    Satoru Kase, Michiyuki Saito & Susumu Ishida

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan

    Hiroaki Endo, Mitsuo Takahashi, Yuki Ito, Michiyuki Saito, Satoshi Katsuta & Manabu Kase

  3. Teine Yokoi Eye Clinic, Sapporo, Japan

    Masahiko Yokoi

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, 890-0075, Japan

    Shozo Sonoda & Taiji Sakamoto

Authors
  1. Satoru Kase
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  2. Hiroaki Endo
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  3. Mitsuo Takahashi
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  4. Yuki Ito
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  5. Michiyuki Saito
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  6. Masahiko Yokoi
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  7. Satoshi Katsuta
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  8. Shozo Sonoda
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  9. Taiji Sakamoto
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  10. Susumu Ishida
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  11. Manabu Kase
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Correspondence to Satoru Kase.

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Kase, S., Endo, H., Takahashi, M. et al. Alteration of choroidal vascular structure in diabetic macular edema. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 258, 971–977 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-020-04604-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-020-04604-z

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