Choroidal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer analysis in chronic spontaneous urticaria

Abstract

Aim: In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic spontaneous urticaria on the choroid and retinal nerve fiber layer.
 Material and Method: The patient group consisted of newly diagnosed 54 chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU ) patient and the control group consisted of 54 healthy volunteer. Choroidal and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements were performed with Cirrus HD-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, CA, USA) 30 minutes after pupil dilation with 0,5% tropicamide.
 Results: In the patient group, nasal choroidal thickness (NCT) was 290.11±43.16 μm, subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was 339.17±37.709 μm, temporal choroidal thickness (TCT) was 296.00±42.859 μm, mean choroidal thickness (MCT) was 308.33±35.923 μm and RNFL thickness was 91.11±7.393 μm. NCT was 248.42±35,742 μm, SFCT 276.56±40.04 μm, TCT 253.69±37.384 μm, MCT 259.50±32,986 μm and RNFL thickness 92.19±8.719 μm in the control group. When we examine the p value, it is seen that both groups are similar to each other in terms of RNFL thickness (p=0.326), while there is a significant thickening in all choroidal regions of patients with CSU, including NCT, SFCT, TCT, MCT (p=0.000, p=0.000, p=0.000, p=0.000, respectively). 
 Conclusion: The choroid is affected in CSU and choroidal thickness can be a noninvasive method that can be used in diagnosis CSU. However, studies of longer disease durations may provide more illuminating information about CSU and choroid and RNFL.