Choroidal Thickness in Thyroid-associated Ophthalmopathy between Normal Tension Glaucoma Using Optical Coherence Tomography

스펙트럼영역 빛간섭단층촬영으로 측정한 갑상선 안병증 환자와 녹내장환자의 맥락막 두께 분석

Purpose: To compare the macular choroidal thickness in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) with those with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Methods: A total of 70 normal eyes, 74 eyes with TAO and 60 eyes with NTG were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) (Cirrus HD-OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, CA, USA). Macular choroidal thickness was assessed using enhanced depth imaging. The average macular choroidal thickness was defined as the average value of three measurements: at the fovea and at the points located 1.5 mm in the nasal and temporal directions from the fovea. Generalized estimating equations were used to uncover factors affecting the average macular choroidal thickness. Results: The average, superior and inferior quadrant retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses were significantly thinner in the NTG group compared with the TAO and control groups (p < 0.001). The average macular choroidal thickness of the TAO group, NTG group and controls was $281.01{\pm}60.06{\mu}m$, $241.66{\pm}55.00{\mu}m$ and $252.07{\pm}55.05{\mu}m$, respectively, which were significantly different (p = 0.013). The subfoveal, nasal and temporal side choroidal thicknesses were significantly thinner in the NTG group compared with the TAO group (p = 0.014, 0.012 and 0.034, respectively). Subjects with TAO were associated with a thicker average macular choroidal thickness compared with the NTG group after adjusting for age, sex, spherical equivalent and intraocular pressure (${\beta}=32.61$, p = 0.017). Conclusions: Macular choroidal thickness was significantly thicker in patients with TAO compared with those with NTG. Further evaluation is required to determine if a thick choroid in subjects with TAO has any role in glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

목적: 갑상샘눈병증과 정상안, 정상안압녹내장 환자의 황반하 맥락막 두께를 비교해 보고자 한다. 대상과 방법: 정상군 70안, 갑상샘눈병증군 74안, 정상안압녹내장군 60안을 대상으로 하였다. 모든 환자는 스펙트럼영역 빛간섭단층촬영의 Enhanced Depth Imaging 방법으로 중심와 맥락막두께를 측정하였다. 평균 중심와 맥락막 두께는 중심와아래, 중심와 아래에서 각각 1.5 mm 비측 및 이측의 세 지점의 평균으로 정의하였다. 일반화 추정 방정식을 통하여 맥락막 두께에 미치는 변수를 알아보았다. 결과: 평균 중심와 맥락막 두께는 정상 $252.07{\pm}55.05{\mu}m$, 갑상샘눈병증 $281.01{\pm}60.06{\mu}m$, 정상안압녹내장 $241.66{\pm}55.00{\mu}m$로 유의한 차이를 보였다(p=0.013). 중심와아래, 비측, 이측 중심와 맥락막 모두 정상안압녹내장에서 갑상샘눈병증에 비해 얇았다(p=0.014, 0.012, and 0.034). 갑상샘눈병증에서 나이, 성별, 굴절률, 안압을 보정한 후에도 정상안압녹내장군에 비해 맥락막 두께가 유의하게 두꺼웠다(${\beta}=32.61$, p=0.017). 결론: 갑상샘눈병증군에서 정상안압녹내장군과 정상군보다 유의하게 두꺼운 맥락막을 보였고 평균 망막신경섬유층 두께는 정상안압녹내장군이 갑상샘눈병증군보다 유의하게 얇았다. 갑상샘눈병증 환자에서의 두꺼운 맥락막이 녹내장 진행에 있어 어떠한 효과를 가지는지 향후 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 보인다.