A Preliminary Study Of The Effect Of Reticular Macular Degeneration On Choroidal Thickness In Early Age-related Macular Degeneration

Objective: To investigate the differences in choroidal thickness between the posterior pole between patients with and without RMD in early AMD patients and explore the relationship between the extent of RMD lesions and choroidal thickness by using multimodal imaging.Methods: A total of 40 eyes of 26 subjects with early AMD were included in this study.All of them were divided into: RMD-group,localized RMD group,and diffuse RMD group according to the results of EDI SD-OCT,Multi Color,fundus color,and other examinations.EDI SD-OCT was used to measure choroidal thickness in all subjects.Covariance analysis and randomized block design analysis of variance were used to statistical analysis: 1)the changes and differences of the choroidal thickness of the posterior pole between patients with and without RMD;2)the differences of the choroidal thickness between corresponding regions of patients with and without RMD;3)the changes of choroidal thickness in different regions within the two group;4)the differences in choroidal thickness in different extent of RMD lesions;5)The Changes in choroidal thickness in the posterior pole between patients with and without RMD in men or women and the differences in choroidal thickness between corresponding regions in both groups.Results: 1.A total of 40 eyes from 26 subjects were included.Of which 23(57.5%)had RMD.Among them,16 eyes(40%)were in the localized RMD group and 7 eyes(17.5%)were in the diffuse RMD group.2.Comparison of mean CT in the posterior pole between RMD-group and RMD+ group:The mean choroidal thickness in the posterior pole of two guoup was 181.60±60.04μm and 127.17±41.36 μm,respectively.No significant difference in choroidal thickness between the two groups even after controling the gender and age.(P=0.21 and P=0.65,respectively).3.Comparison of average choroidal thickness in the posterior pole between RMD-group and RMD+ group in female population: the mean choroidal thickness of the posterior pole of was 184.98±65.87μm,127.17±41.36μm for the the RMD-group and RMD+ group,respectively;In the female population,the mean choroidal thickness in the posterior pole of the RMD+ group was thinner than that in the RMD-group(P<0.05).4.The results of the comparison of the mean choroidal thickness between corresponding regions of the RMD-group and RMD+ groups in the female population: At all regions,but the superior,the choroidal thickness of eyes in RMD+ group appeared thinner than that of the control RMD-group.5.The comparison of the among the RMD-group,the localized RMD group,and the diffuse RMD group:The mean choroidal thickness in the posterior pole of the three groups were 181.60±60.04 μm,148.82±69.43 μm,and 127.95±48.97 μm,respectively;There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups even after adjusting the gender and age.Conclusion: 1.There was no difference in mean post-polar choroidal thickness between early AMD patients with and without RMD;when compared by sex,there was no difference in mean choroidal thickness between the two groups in males.In the female population,the mean choroidal thickness in the posterior pole of early AMD with RMD is thinner than that of early AMD with no RMD.2.In the female population,At all regions,but the superior,the choroidal thickness of eyes in RMD+ group appeared thinner than that of the control RMD-group.3.There was no significant difference in the mean choroidal thickness between the RMD-group,the local RMD group,and the diffuse RMD group.It can’t be considered that the changes in choroidal thickness associated with the extent of RMD lesions.