Cambiamenti morfostrutturali coroideali in pazienti affetti da Degenerazione Maculare Senile intermedia valutati tramite Swept-Source OCT e Swept Source OCT Angiografia.

Reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) are associated with a thinner choroid. The aim of our study was to determine the differences in central choroidal thickness (CCT) and choriocapillaris vascular flow area (CCVFA) between eyes with and without RPD using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and SS-OCT angiography (SS-OCTA). A retrospective case series control study was performed on 27 eyes from 27 consecutive patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) was compared to 17 healthy eyes. Complete ophthalmic examinations were carried out including: axial length measurements; fundus color retinography; fundus autofluorescence; SS-OCT and SS-OCTA, CCT and CCVFA. Patients were classified as no RPD, mild RPD and severe RPD. Mean CCT in patients exhibiting severe RPD (110±56 μm) was significantly smaller than in patients with no RPD (201±76 μm; p<0.01). Mean CCVFA in severe RPD patients (45.2 ± 3.0%) was also significantly less than in patients with no (47.9±1.6%, p<0.001) and mild RPD (47.7±1.0%, p<0.05). Stepwise multiple regression models confirmed the association of RPD with CCT (p<0.001) and CCVFA (p<0.01) even after accounting for age and axial length. Soft drusen (SD) were not associated with changes in either CCT (p=0.13) nor CCVFA (p=0.29). A significant, positive relationship was found between CCT and CCVFA (r=0.44, p=0.01). Therefore, both CCT and CCVFA are decreased in eyes with RPD, as compared to healthy eyes and iAMD eyes not exhibiting RPD. Additionally, CCT and CCVFA are related, and the reduction of either is directly associated to the severity of RPD. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of these findings.