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Comment
. 2023 Jan;37(1):155-159.
doi: 10.1038/s41433-021-01911-5. Epub 2022 Jan 20.

Thickness of retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane complex in adult Chinese using optical coherence tomography

Lei Shao  1 , Qing Lin Zhang  2 , Chuan Zhang  1 , Li Dong  1 , Wen Da Zhou  1 , Rui Heng Zhang  1 , Hao Tian Wu  1 , Wen Bin Wei  3
Affiliations
Comment

Thickness of retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane complex in adult Chinese using optical coherence tomography

Lei Shao et al. Eye (Lond). 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: To study thickness of RPE-BM complex in adult Chinese subjects and its correlation with systemic and ocular biometric parameters.

Design: Population-based longitudinal study. Cross-sectional study.

Participants: The population-based Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals with a mean age of 64.6 ± 9.8 years (range: 50-93 years).

Methods: A detailed ophthalmic examination was performed including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) for measurement of the thickness of RPE-BM complex. Use Heidelberg software "Heidelberg Eye Explorer" for segmentation and measurements.

Main outcome measure: Thickness of RPE-BM complex.

Results: In total, 3276 people (6530 eyes) were included in the study. In total, 1844 (56.3%) subjects were female. The mean age was 64.3 ± 9.6 years (range: 50-93 years). The mean refractive error (spherical equivalent) was -0.18 ± 2.04 diopters (range: -22.0 to +7.50 diopters). Mean thickness of the RPE-BM complex at the foveal center was 25.09 ± 3.98 μm (range: 17-37 μm). In multiple regression analysis, subfoveal thickness of the RPE-BM complex was associated with age (p = 0.039; beta: 0.22; B: 0.10 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.20)) and hypertension history (p = 0.038; beta: 0.23; B: 1.96 (95% CI: 0.12, 3.81)).

Conclusion: Mean subfoveal thickness of the RPE-BM complex was 25.09 ± 3.98 μm in elderly subjects with a mean age of 64.3 years increased with age and hypertension history. The increase in the thickness of RPE-BM complex may play a role in the pathophysiologic features of various age-related ocular conditions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Optical coherence tomogram of the RPE–BM complex.
The inner and outer borders of the RPE–BM complex were manually segmented. The red line showed the subfoveal thickness of RPE–BM complex.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. The correlation between the subfoveal thickness of RPE-BM complex.
Scatterplot showing the correlation between the subfoveal thickness of RPE–BM complex measurements performed on optical coherence tomograms by two examiners independently of each other.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

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