Abstract
Purpose: :
To measure the thickness of the choroid in patients with chronic tinnitus.
Methods: :
Beside the ophthalmological examinations (visual acuity, refraction, intraocular pressure, slit lamp and fundus examination) the measurement of the choroidal thickness was done with the TIMUG-EYE-ANALYZER (TIMUG e.V., Bonn). Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann-Whitney-U-Test.
Results: :
Twentyfive patients (m:f=12:13, average age+=48±15 years) with chronic tinnitus were included and compared with twentyfive age-related controls (m:f=11:14). Ophthalmological examinations in all subjects were without pathological findings. Statistical analysis showed a significant increased choroidal thickness in patients with chronic tinnitus (median±mean absolute deviation [µm]=150±20 versus 120±15, o=0.033).
Conclusions: :
The increased choroidal thickness could be a hint for a general disturbed vascular regulation in patients with chronic tinnitus. As acquired colour vision disturbances were described in these patients (Schulze, 2006), these findings are in good accordance with a choroidal perfusion disturbance.
Keywords: choroid • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: natural history