INTRODUCTION: To compare the 12-month choroidal thickness (CT) change between
Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and normal subjects.
METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, 39 patients with a diagnosis
of mild to moderate AD and 39 age-matched control subjects were included. All the
subjects underwent neuropsychological (Mini Mental State Examination, Alzheimer
disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, and the Clinical Dementia Rating
Scale) and ophthalmological evaluation, including spectral domain optical
coherence tomography, at baseline and after 12 months. CT was measured manually
using the caliper tool of the optical coherence tomography device.
RESULTS: After 12 months, AD patients had a greater reduction of CT than controls
(P≤0.05, adjusted for baseline CT, age, sex, axial length, and smoking).
DISCUSSION: CT in patients with AD showed a rate of thinning greater than what
could be expected during the natural course of aging
