Automated macular choroidal thickness measurement by swept-source optical coherence tomography in pseudoxanthoma elasticum

INTRODUCTION: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) typically involves elastic fibers in blood vessels and Bruch membrane. Our purpose was to analyze retinal and choroidal macular thickness in patients with angioid streaks due PXE compared with a control group. METHODS: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), axial length (AL), and macular swept-source optical coherence tomography were obtained. Automated segmentations of the retina and the choroid were used to obtain the corresponding thickness values. An age, gender and AL matched control group was used to compare the thickness values. RESULTS: Twelve eyes of 6 patients were included. The mean BCVA was 0.68 ± 0.29 versus 1.0 in controls (p < 0.001). The mean macular retinal thickness was thinner in eyes with PXE (p = 0.038). Only patients with choroidal neovascularization (NV) showed statistically significant differences in the mean macular choroidal thickness (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that choroidal thickness may be thinner in eyes with NV due to angioid streaks in PXE compared with healthy eyes analyzed by an automated segmentation of the choroid. Further studies are warranted in order to assess the importance of this choroidal changes in the pathogenesis of retinal disturbances related to PXE and its influence in long-term follow-up.