Choroidal vascularity index and choroidal thickness changes in patients with allergic asthma

• Published in: Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy 2021-12, Vol.36, p.102494-102494, Article 102494
• Main Authors: Yılmaz, Mevlüt, Polat, Osman Ahmet, Karayiğit, Duygu Zorlu, Ayyıldız, Taha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergic; Asthma; Choroid - diagnostic imaging; Choroidal thickness; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Optical Coherence Tomography; Photochemotherapy - methods; Photosensitizing Agents; Retinal nerve fiber layer; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Vascularity index
• ISSN: 1572-1000; 1873-1597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2021.102494

•This study demonstrates that chronic allergic asthma has structural effects on the choroidea, especially on its vascular proportion.•With recent advances in choroidal imaging modalities, such as choroidal vascularity index measurement, the effects of systemic diseases on the choroidal tissue structure can be better demonstrated.•Choroidal vascularity index measurement is a useful imaging tool for the evaluation of the choroidal effects of various diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether the choroidal vascularity index (CVI), choroidal thickness (ChT), and retinal nerve fiber thickness (RNFL) of patients with allergic asthma change compared to the healthy control group. This cross-sectional, observational study comprised 59 eyes of 59 patients with allergic asthma (Group 1) and 50 eyes of 50 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers as a control group (Group 2). CVI was measured by binarization of images obtained from choroidal enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode optic coherence tomography. CVI was defined as the ratio of the choroidal luminal area to the total circumscribed choroidal area. ChT was measured manually at 3 points, subfoveal and 1000 microns nasal and temporal to the fovea (SFCT, N1000, and T1000 respectively). RNFL measurements were subdivided as global, nasal, temporal, superonasal, superotemporal, inferonasal, and inferotemporal quadrants. Subfoveal CVI and ChT were significantly lower in asthma patients (p:0,043 and p: 0.034, respectively). N1000 and T1000 ChT and RNFL thicknesses were lower in asthma patients compared to the control group, though no significant difference was found between them (p> 0.05). Our findings suggest that asthma patients have choroidal structural changes. In the literature, there are not enough studies regarding the effects of asthma on ocular parameters.