Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness and Volume during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy using Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography: A Pilot Study

Rothwell, Renata; Meira, Dália; Oliveira, Marisa A; Ribeiro, Lígia; Fonseca, Sofia

doi:10.7860/jcdr/2015/12888.6402

Cited by 18 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…There are more than a dozen studies on choroidal thickness changes in pregnancy using enhanced depth imaging OCT, which have provided inconsistent results. [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] Some studies have found thickening of the choroid in specific subfields during the second and third trimester of pregnancy, whereas other studies have observed no difference in choroidal thickness during pregnancy. The discrepancy in these studies could be due to variation in inclusion criteria, confounding factors (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retinal Vascular Changes During Pregnancy Detected With Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Chanwimol

Balasubramanian

Nassisi

et al. 2019

Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.

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PURPOSE. To evaluate retinal vascular status during pregnancy by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS. Women in their third trimester of pregnancy and nonpregnant age-matched women were recruited for this prospective, case-control study. Subjects were imaged with OCTA. Main outcome measures were foveal avascular zone parameters, perfusion density (PD) percentage in the superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP), PD percentage in the deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP), SCP vessel length density (VLD), DCP-VLD, and choriocapillaris (CC) flow voids (i.e., flow deficits in the CC). RESULTS. Nineteen eyes of 10 pregnant subjects and 44 eyes of 27 nonpregnant control women were included. Mean ages were 36 6 7 and 35 6 8 years (SD), respectively (P value ¼ 0.78). Mean gestational age of pregnant women was 33 weeks (range ¼ 29-39, SD ¼ 3). There was a significant reduction in the SCP-PD in the entire scan and in the nasal Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study subfield (47.9 vs. 49.7, P ¼ 0.04 and 49.3 vs. 51.6, P ¼ 0.03, respectively) in the pregnant cohort versus controls. There was a significant increase in the DCP-PD in the parafoveal region and in the temporal and inferior Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study subfields (58.0 vs. 55.9, P ¼ 0.03; 57.9 vs. 55.5, P ¼ 0.02; 58.0 vs. 55.9, P ¼ 0.05, respectively) in the pregnant cohort. There was no significant difference in foveal avascular zone parameters, SCP-VLD, DCP-VLD, or CC flow voids between the two populations. CONCLUSIONS. This study detected retinal vasculature changes in the third trimester of pregnancy. Mean SCP-PD was significantly decreased and mean DCP-PD was significantly increased without a difference in VLD.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retinal Vascular Changes During Pregnancy Detected With Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Chanwimol

Balasubramanian

Nassisi

et al. 2019

Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.

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“…Studies comparing choroidal thickness in nonpregnant and pregnant women provide contradictory results. According to some studies, a statistically significant thickening of the choroid occurs during pregnancy [ 9 , 19 , 21 – 26 , 29 ], whereas other studies do not show such a relationship [ 20 , 26 ]. Also, the results concerning the relationship between choroidal thickness and gestational age differ [ 9 , 20 – 25 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the EDI-OCT examination performed three months after childbirth, a decrease was observed in the choroidal thickness, compared to the period of pregnancy [ 22 ]. Ataş et al, and Rothwell et al, in their studies, examined women in the third trimester of pregnancy, and also found that in these women the choroidal thickness was significantly higher statistically, compared to women who were not pregnant [ 19 , 29 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Choroidal Thickness in Women with Uncomplicated Pregnancy: Literature Review

Roskal-Wałek

Laudańska-Olszewska²,

Biskup

et al. 2017

BioMed Research International

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Pregnancy is a time when many changes occur in a woman's body. The goal of these changes is the provision of optimum conditions for the development of the foetus. Pregnancy also affects eye physiology. Well recognized physiological changes include a reduced corneal sensitivity, an increase in its central thickness and curvature, and a decrease in intraocular pressure. The association between choroidal thickness and pregnancy is not clear. Haemodynamic and hormonal changes taking place during pregnancy and the question of whether these changes are reflected by choroidal thickness are especially important. It is assumed that the choroid, which is one of the most highly vascularized tissues characterized by the highest blood flow to tissue volume ratio in the whole body, should respond by an increase in its thickness to an increase in blood flow and drop in the value of peripheral resistance. Measurement of choroidal thickness using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) in women with uncomplicated pregnancy provides important information concerning the effects of physiological changes in the eye.

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“…A different control group of non-pregnant women was also analyzed and showed significantly thinner choroid measurements in comparison with pregnant women. Rothwell et al [ 31 ] used a different technique to analyze choroid structure by constructing volume macular maps for the 9 subfields defined by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study. The measurements of thickness and volume in the central subfield were significantly greater in third trimester pregnant patients than in non-pregnant patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative analysis of choroidal thickness in third trimester pregnant women

et al. 2018

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BackgroundThe impact of pregnancy on the choroid is still under investigation. The aim of this study is to compare choroidal thickness measurements of healthy pregnant women in the third trimester and healthy non-pregnant women using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 122 eyes of 61 women, divided into two groups: 27 healthy pregnant women in the third trimester and 34 age-matched healthy non-pregnant women. Choroidal thickness was measured using Enhanced Depth Imaging OCT at ten different locations: at the fovea and every 500 µm from the fovea up to 2500 µm temporally and up to 2000 µm nasally.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the ten measurements of choroidal thickness comparing both groups. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 304.1 + 9.6 µm in the control group and 318.1 + 15.6 µm in the pregnant women group (p = 0.446). There was also no statistically significant association between gestational age and choroidal thickness measurements in the healthy pregnant women group.ConclusionsOur study showed no statistically difference in choroidal thickness between healthy non-pregnant women and healthy pregnant women in the third trimester.

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Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness and Volume during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy using Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography: A Pilot Study

Abstract: Our study suggests that in the third trimester of pregnancy the choroid may be subjected to physiological changes in structure. Whether these changes are a result of hormonal and/or haemodynamic adaptations of pregnancy remains to be studied.

Cited by 18 publications

References 25 publications

Retinal Vascular Changes During Pregnancy Detected With Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Retinal Vascular Changes During Pregnancy Detected With Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Choroidal Thickness in Women with Uncomplicated Pregnancy: Literature Review

Comparative analysis of choroidal thickness in third trimester pregnant women

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