title: Changes in choroidal thickness in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes in choroidal thickness (ChT) following panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and compare ChT in relation to DR severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two eyes [19 eyes with proliferative DR (PDR) and 13 eyes with severe nonproliferative DR (NPDR)] for which PRP was necessary were analyzed. ChT was measured before PRP and at 1, 3, and 6 months after PRP using the swept-source optical coherence tomography. ChT of the 61 eyes matched with the PDR patients for the mean age and axial length was also measured and statistically compared in relation to severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The central field ChT before PRP treatment was 268.6 ± 104.5 µm (mean ± standard deviation) and was significantly decreased at 1, 3, and 6 months after PRP (254.5 ± 105.3, 254.2 ± 108.2, and 248.1 ± 101.8 µm, respectively, P < 0.0001). The central field ChT of severe NPDR (323.2 ± 61.3 µm) was significantly thicker than that of normal (248.3 ± 70.7 µm) and mild to moderate NPDR (230.0 ± 70.3 µm, P = 0.0455 and 0.0099, respectively). Moreover, the central field ChT of PDR (307.3 ± 84.1 µm) was significantly thicker than of mild to moderate NPDR (P = 0.0169).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ChT significantly decreased after PRP, which continued for at least 6 months after treatment. ChT of severe NPDR and PDR was significantly thicker than that of mild to moderate NPDR. ChT of patients with DR was changed according to the treatment and severity of DR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saneikai Tsukazaki Hospital, 68-1 Aboshiku Waku, Himeji, 671-1227, Japan. z.ohhara@tsukazaki-eye.net.|Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. z.ohhara@tsukazaki-eye.net.
authors.forename: Zaigen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1343-2203
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saneikai Tsukazaki Hospital, 68-1 Aboshiku Waku, Himeji, 671-1227, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tabuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saneikai Tsukazaki Hospital, 68-1 Aboshiku Waku, Himeji, 671-1227, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakakura
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saneikai Tsukazaki Hospital, 68-1 Aboshiku Waku, Himeji, 671-1227, Japan.|Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saneikai Tsukazaki Hospital, 68-1 Aboshiku Waku, Himeji, 671-1227, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sumino
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Saneikai Tsukazaki Hospital, 68-1 Aboshiku Waku, Himeji, 671-1227, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kiuchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002829:Choroid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000072776:Slit Lamp Microscopy; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Choroidal thickness; Diabetic retinopathy; Panretinal photocoagulation; Swept-source optical coherence tomography