Detection of macular ganglion cell complex loss and correlation with choroidal thickness in chronic and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the association of ganglion cell complex thickness (GCCt), global loss volume percentage (GLV%), and focal loss volume percentage (FLV%) with structural and functional findings among patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CCSC) and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy (RCSC) by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: Among 29 patients with monocular affected central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), 15 had CCSC, and 14 had RCSC. The GCCt, FLV%, GLV%, and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and sublesional choroidal thickness (SLCT) values were determined using OCT, and the association of these characteristics with neural structure parameters, choroidal morphology, features and functional alterations were estimated for the CCSC and RCSC patients. RESULTS: In CCSC, the affected eyes had significantly lower GCCt values than the fellow eyes in the macular regions (all P<0.05), with the highest GCCt observed in the inferior area. A significant association was found between the GCCt in different regions and the change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA; r=-0.696; -0.695; -0.694, P<0.05) in CCSC patients. A statistically significant moderate negative correlation indicated that long-term CCSC was associated with greater differences in the GCCt in different regions between affected and fellow eyes (r=-0.562; r=-0.556; r=0.525, P<0.05). Additionally, observation of thickened SFCT was associated with a worse FLV% (r=0.599; r=0.546, P<0.05) in both groups. Similarly, thickened SLCT was associated with FLV% in RCSC patients (r=0.544, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The distribution and GCCt are associated with the duration and visual outcomes of CCSC, whereas there is no correlation among RCSC patients. FLV% may be instrumental in differentiating the various outer choroidal vessels (pachyvessels) in long-term CSC. These results suggest that neural structure parameters may aid in estimating and predicting the recovery of altered morphology and function in CCSC and RCSC patients.