Correlation between Changes in Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin Levels and Chorioretinal Vessels in Thyroid Eye Disease

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#To investigate the changes in retinal and choroidal vessels according to changes in thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED). @*Methods@#A total of 41 patients (82 eyes) with TED were enrolled. The subjects were divided into two groups an experimental group with clinically significant TSI sample-to-reference ratio (%) abnormalities (> 140) and a control group. Within the experimental group, the median value of 451 was used to further classify patients into groups A and B. Using optical coherence tomography/angiography, the sizes of the superficial fovea avascular zone (sFAZ) and deep fovea avascular zone, the diameter of the macular center 1 mm fovea, 3 mm parafovea superficial capillary plexus density (sCPD), deep capillary plexus density, choroidal thickness, and choroidal vascularity index were measured. @*Results@#In the experimental group, the change in the TSI value and the change in the 3 mm parafovea sCPD showed a significant positive correlation (p = 0.040) with a correlation coefficient of 0.307. Among group B patients of the experimental group, the changes in the TSI value and sFAZ showed a strong negative correlation (-0.417), but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.053). @*Conclusions@#In TED patients with clinically significant TSI levels (> 140), blood vessel density in the superficial layer of the 3 mm parafovea significantly increased with TSI. Especially in the high TSI (≥ 451) group, superficial retinal vessel density.