Abstract:

 Objective To measure peripapillary choroidal layers thickness and to assess its associated factors in 50 years old or over population of Beijing Eye Study. Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Participants 3468 participants in Beijing Eye Study 2011 with a mean age of 64.4±9.6 years.  Methods A detailed interview, general examinations and ophthalmic examinations were performed. Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, we measured the large vessel layer and small-to-medium vessel layer of the peripapillary choroid in a circular scan with a diameter of 3.4 mm around the optic nerve head centre at eight locations equidistant (45° ) to each other. Multivariate linear regression analysis of choroidal thickness with demographic, systemic and ocular biological parameters was performed. Main Outcome Measures peripapillary choroid vessel layer thickness. Results Peripapillary choroidal layers thickness measurements were available for 3000 (86.5%) participants. The mean small-to-medium choroidal vessel layer thickness, large choroidal vessel layer thickness was 31.40±7.18 μm, 102.76±48.17 μm, respectively. The thickest was located on superior section (120.1±55.8 μm, 35.3±9.9 μm, respectively) and the thinest was located on inferior section (79.3±40.5 μm, 30.7±9.3 μm, respectively). In multivariate analysis, thicker small-to-medium choroidal vessel layer thickness was associated with younger age (P<0.001), shorter axial length (P<0.001), smaller beta zone (P<0.001), and higher cognitive function score (P=0.01). Thicker large choroidal vessel layer thickness was associated with younger age (P<0.001), shorter axial length (P<0.001), smaller alpha zone (P=0.002), smaller beta zone (P<0.001), and higher cognitive function score (P=0.026). Conclusion The mean small-to-medium choroidal vessel layer thickness and large choroidal vessel layer thickness is thickest superiorly and thinnest inferiorly. Thicker mean thickness of small-to-medium choroidal vessel layer thickness and large choroidal vessel layer thickness were significantly associated with younger age, shorter axial length, smaller beta zone and higher cognitive function score. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2019, 28: 43-48)

Key words:  peripapillary choroidal thickness, population-based epidemiological survey, optical coherence tomography