Evaluation of choroidal thickness and retinal vessel density in patients with inactive Graves' orbitopathy.

Background: To investigate choroidal thickness using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography and retinal vessel density with optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with inactive Graves' orbitopathy.

Methods: A total of 36 eyes of 36 patients with inactive Graves' orbitopathy (6 men and 30 women in Group 1) and 36 eyes from 36 controls (8 men and 28 women in Group 2) were recruited for this prospective case-control study. Choroidal thickness measurements were obtained using enhanced depth imaging with spectral domain-optical coherence tomography. Optical coherence tomography angiography images were generated with 6 × 6-mm angiographic optical coherence tomography scans. Retinal vessel densities of the superficial retinal layer and deep retinal layer of the macula and foveal avascular zone measurements were obtained for each eye.

Results: The mean age was 42.5 ± 9.9 years in Group 1 and 42.8 ± 6.5 years in Group 2 (p = 0.76). The mean choroidal thickness was 370.7 ± 83.5 μm and 338.2 ± 72.4 μm in Group 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.09). There was no significant difference between the groups in retinal vessel density either in superficial or deep retinal layers (p > 0.05 for all), and no difference was found between the groups in foveal avascular zone area and perimeter (p = 0.69, p = 0.73, respectively).

Conclusions: Similar retinal vessel density values were found in both superficial and deep retinal layers in Graves' orbitopathy compared with healthy subjects. Although statistically insignificant, choroidal thickness was slightly higher in patients with Graves' orbitopathy than in healthy subjects. Foveal avascular zone area and perimeter measurements were unaffected by the disease.