RT Journal Article
A1 Chen, Qi
A1 Tan, Fan
A1 Wu, Yufei
A1 Zhuang, Xiran
A1 Wu, Chaoming
A1 Zhou, Yuheng
A1 Li, Yingzi
A1 Cheng, Dan
A1 Wang, Jianhua
A1 Lu, Fan
A1 Shen, Meixiao
T1 Characteristics of Retinal Structural and Microvascular Alterations in Early Type 2 Diabetic Patients
JF Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
JO Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.
YR 2018
DO 10.1167/iovs.17-23193
VO 59
IS 5
SP 2110
OP 2118
SN 1552-5783
AB    To investigate early retinal structural and microvascular changes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and to analyze relationships among the retinal structure, microvasculature, and choroid.    Seventy-seven patients with type 2 DM (40 with no diabetic retinopathy [DR], 37 with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy [NPDR]), and 34 control subjects were enrolled. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, operating in radial 18-line mode, obtained macular images of the eight intraretinal layers and the choroid. The same system was equipped with Angiovue to obtain angiography images of the whole, superficial, and deep retinal capillary layers (WRCL, SRCL, and DRCL) in a 3-mm-diameter area around the macula. Algorithms quantified the thicknesses of the intraretinal layers and choroid as well as fractal dimensions (Dbox values) of the retinal capillary layers. Pearson's correlation was used to analyze the relationships.    The choroidal thickness was significantly decreased in all the regions of the DM patients with no DR (P < 0.05). Compared to controls, the Dbox values of the SRCL and DRCL were significantly decreased in diabetic patients with no DR; however, only the nerve fiber layer in this group was slightly thinner than in the controls (P < 0.05). In the two diabetic groups, there was a weak correlation between the ganglion cell complex thickness and the SRCL (P < 0.05).    In DM, changes of retinal microvasculature might occur earlier than changes in retinal structure. Thinning of the choroid may be the earliest sign in the diabetic patients with no clinical DR.  
RD 4/22/2021
UL https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.17-23193