Purpose To evaluate the differences between the thickness of the separate quadrants at the peripapillary RNFL, thickness and volume of the macula and choroidal thickness in Alzheimer disease ( AD) patients compared with a control group.
Methods Transversal case control study in 50 eyes of AD patients and 150 eyes of heathy subjects, measuring the thickness of the separate quadrants at the peripapillary RNFL, thickness and volume of macula with SD OCT (spectral domain optical coherence tomography) and choroidal thickness (CT) with enhanced depth imaging OCT in Alzheimer disease patients compared with a control group.
Results The average thickness of temporal superior quadrants of RNFL in AD patients was 30,5 ± 8,5 μm thinner than control group (p<0,05 t student test). Macular thickness and volume had no statistical differences between AD patients and heathy subjects. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was higher in AD than in control group ( 246,31 ±68,23 versus 214,31±72,85 μm( p< 0,05 t student test).
Conclusion This findings suggest that the macular and retinal degeneration may be multifactorial such as retrograde degeneration in retinal changes and ischemic factor in choroidal changes.