A DEEPER ASSESSMENT OF VARIOUS CHOROIDAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC BIOMARKERS AMONG SYMPTOMATIC PACHYCHOROID SPECTRUM ENTITIES WITHIN A TERTIARY REFERRAL CENTER.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate age, sex, intervortex vein anastomosis|intervortex vein anastomoses (IVA), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) across different entities of the pachychoroid spectrum (PCS).

METHODS

A total of 147 eyes were analyzed, including: 65 chronic central serous chorioretinopathy, 29 uncomplicated pachychoroid (UCP), 25 pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy (PPE), 15 pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV), nine aneurysmal choroidal neovascularization Type 1 (ACNV-1), and four peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome. Subfoveal choroidal thickness was assessed by optical coherence tomography and IVA by indocyanine green angiography.

RESULTS

Neovascular PCS entities (PNV, ACNV-1) were significantly older (61 ± 10 vs. 54 ± 12 years, P = 0.003) and had a higher female prevalence (57% vs. 22%, P < 0.001) than their nonneovascular counterparts. Intervortex vein anastomosis|intervortex vein anastomoses differed only between UCP and PPE (31% vs. 64%, P = 0.03), with a trend toward lower SFCT in IVA-positive eyes. While ANOVA showed SFCT differences among PCS entities, multivariable regression identified age ( P < 0.001) and neovascular status ( P = 0.01) as independently and inversely associated with SFCT.

CONCLUSION

Neovascular PCS entities were characterized by older age, higher female prevalence, and reduced SFCT. Both age and neovascularization independently associated with reduced SFCT, suggesting a potential role in choroidal remodeling. Intervortex vein anastomosis|intervortex vein anastomoses showed a limited discriminatory value but was associated with a trend toward lower SFCT.