Evaluation of macular and peripapillary choroidal thickness, macular volume and retinal nerve fiber layer in acromegaly patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate macular volume, retinal nerve fiber layer, and macular and peripapillary choroidal thickness in acromegaly patients.

METHOD: In this prospective, case-control study, 31 patients with acromegaly and 32 healthy subjects were recruited. Only right eyes were evaluated. Macular choroidal thickness (CT) was measured at three points, peripapillary CT was measured at eight points, and macular volume was measured at nine areas in the central 6 mm circle zone by spectraldomain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) was measured automatically at six segments by OCT.

RESULTS: The mean macular and peripapillary CT at all measuring points were significantly higher in acromegaly group (p < 0.05). RNFL thicknesses were significantly higher in acromegaly except for temporal segment (p < 0.05). The mean total, inferior and superior retinal volume of the macula were significantly higher in acromegaly group (p < 0.001), whereas there was no statistically difference was seen in retinal volume of temporal and nasal macular area between the two groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The macular and peripapillary choroidal thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer, and total retinal volume of the macula were significantly higher in acromegaly patients. Increased choroidal thickness may cause different macular pathologies such as choroidal neovascularization. RNFL results may be important in acromegaly patients with glaucoma, especially if the progress of glaucoma is monitored by OCT.