Evaluation of the Effect of Levothyroxine Treatment on Ocular Vascular System in Patients with Hypothyroidism.

Öz

Objective: Hypothyroidism, in which systemic vascular changes can be seen, is an endocrine system disease characterized by insufficient secretion of thyroid hormones. In this study, it was aimed to quantitatively investigate retinal and choroidal vascular changes in patients with primary hypothyroidism during the hypothyroid and euthyroid periods by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Materials and Methods: Forty eyes of 20 patients with overt or subclinical hypothyroidism requiring treatment were included in the study. The patients were evaluated with OCTA in the euthyroid period after hypothyroid and levothyroxine treatment. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and choriocapillaris flow (CF) values, superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and radial peripapillary capillary plexus (RPCP) vascular density data were obtained with the OCTA device. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between hypothyroid and euthyroid periods in the vascular density values of SCP, DCP and RPCP (p>0,05 for all). On the other hand, statistically significant increases were observed in the euthyroid period compared to the hypothyroid period in CF measurements made using 1,2 and 3 mm scanning patterns (p=0,037; p=0,035; p=0,021 respectively). While 1 and 2 mm CF values were positively correlated with fT4 levels in the euthyroid period (r=0,596; p<0,001 and r=0,402; p=0,012); a negative correlation was found between 1 mm CF measurements and patient age and TSH levels in the euthyroid period (r=-0,380; p=0,016 and r=-0,351; p=0,031). Conclusion: In this study, increased CF rate was found in the euthyroid period compared to the hypothyroid period. It is thought that these changes may be related to the systemic vascular changes that can be seen in hypothyroidism, and the evaluation of ocular flow with OCTA is important in detecting possible vascular effects in patients with hypothyroidism.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Hypothyroidism
• Choroid plexus
• Optical coherence tomography
• Retinal vessels.

Hipotiroidizm Tanılı Hastalarda Levotiroksin Tedavisinin Oküler Vasküler Sistem Üzerine Etkilerinin İncelenmesi.

Öz

Amaç: Sistemik vasküler değişikliklerin görülebildiği hipotiroidizm, tiroid hormonlarının yetersiz salgılanması ile karakterize endokrin sistem hastalığıdır. Bu çalışmada primer hipotiroidisi olan hastaların hipotiroid ve ötiroid dönemlerinde retina ve koroid vasküler değişikliklerinin kantitatif olarak optik koherens tomografi anjiografi (OKTA) ile incelenmesi amaçlandı. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Aşikar veya tedavi gerektiren subklinik hipotiroidisi olan 20 hastanın 40 gözü çalışmaya dahil edildi. Hastalar hipotiroid ve levotiroksin tedavisi sonrası ötiroid dönemde OKTA ile değerlendirildi. OKTA cihazı ile foveal avasküler zon (FAZ) ve koryokapillaris akım (KA) değerleri ile yüzeyel kapiller pleksus (YKP), derin kapiller pleksus (DKP)ve radyal peripapiller kapiller pleksus (RPKP) vasküler dansite verileri elde edildi. Bulgular: YKP, DKP ve RPKP vasküler dansite değerlerinde hipotiroid ve ötiroid dönemler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptanmadı (tümü için p>0,05). 1,2 ve 3 mm tarama paternleri kullanılarak yapılan KA ölçümlerinde ise ötiroid dönemde hipotiroid döneme göre istatistiksel anlamlı artış görüldü (sırasıyla p=0,037; p=0,035; p=0,021). 1 ve 2 mm KA değerleri ötiroid dönemdeki sT4 düzeyleri ile pozitif korelasyon gösterirken (r=0,596; p< 0,001 ve r=0,402; p=0,012); 1 mm KA ölçümleri ile hasta yaşı ve ötiroid dönemdeki TSH düzeyleri arasında negatif korelasyon saptandı (r=-0,380; p= 0,016 ve r=-0,351; p=0,031). Sonuç: Bu çalışmada ötiroid dönemde hipotiroid dönemle karşılaştırıldığında artmış KA hızı saptanmıştır. Bu değişikliklerin hipotroidide görülebilen sistemik vasküler değişiklikler ile ilişkili olabileceği ve hipotroidi tanılı hastalarda olası vasküler etkilerin saptanmasında OKTA ile oküler akımın değerlendirilmesinin önemli olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Hipotiroidizm
• Koroid pleksus
• Optik koherens tomografi
• Retina damarları.

Kaynakça

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