OCT PARAMETERS OF CENTRAL RETINA IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS AND CONTROLS

174 participants after initial cardiologic evaluation and coronary angiography were included in the study. According to the indications and the results of coronary angiography, all  participants were separated into 3 groups – acute coronary syndrome (ACS, N=76), no changes in coronary angiography (control, N=76) and three vessel disease without previous major coronary events (3VD). All the patients were ophthalmologically examined afterwards. OCT scans of the macula were performed using swept source OCT in addition to standard ophthalmic examination. Retinal and choroidal thickness in ETDRS segments (central, both inner and outer nasal, temporal, superior and inferior ) were calculated automatically by the software. The regional ethical committee of Kaunas approved the research protocol. The tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki were confirmed by the research. The results are expressed as mean and standard deviation. Written informed consent was obtained from participants.

The findings of our study suggest that central choroidal and retinal thickness may be important markers of coronary artery disease (the thinning of the retina and choroid is greater with the higher number of coronary arteries affected). The results could be used as a screening tool for coronary artery disease after further research.