Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) if there is a quantitative decrease of macular thickness , over the day, in patients with macular edema in standing and in supine position. Methods: We considered 27 patients (27 eyes): 17 with diabetic retinopathy, 4 with retinal vein occlusions( CRVO/BRVO) , 4 with central serous chorioretinopathy (CRSC), 2 with Foveal Telengectasia consecutively referred to our Out–Patients Clinic (mean age 57 ± 17years). Macular thickness was measured by Stratus OCT 3.00 (San Leandro ,CA) with fast macular thickness mapping protocol at 8:00 am, 11:00 am 2:00 pm, 5:00pm. The following data were performed in both body position .At each time refractions, visual acuity measurements and Amsler test were performed. Clinical evaluations of patients included blood pressure measurements . Statistical analisys was performed using Student’s paired t.test and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The comparison between the first and the last macular thickness in the course of the day showed in all the 27 eyes a decrease in macular thickness at the last measurement in both body positions ( in standing position 317,18µ versus 293,4µ ; p= 0.05 ; in supine position 319,4µ versus 294,9µ ; p=0.04.) The correlation analysis found between macular thickness and visual acuity in both body positions was not statistically significant ( r:–0,1). Conclusions: The diurnal variation in macular thickness suggests that the upright body position is not the only mechanism of decrease macular thickness edema , as reported in previous findings.
Keywords: macula/fovea • circadian rhythms • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)