AIM: To study the changes of choroidal thickness and hemodynamic parameters in patients with diabetic retinopathy and their influencing factors.

METHODS: From January 2013 to January 2015, 100 patients(100 eyes)with type 2 diabetes were divided into 3 groups: 34 patients without diabetic retinopathy(NDR), 36 patients with non proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR)group, and 30 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR). According to the results of OCT, the patients with diabetic retinopathy were divided into 2 groups: diabetic macular edema(DME)group(28 cases), and 38 cases without diabetic macular edema. During the same period in our hospital 35 subjects for physical examination were selected as the control group. The hemodynamic parameters of the posterior ciliary artery in different groups of patients at different distance from the center of the macular were compared, analyzing influencing factors.

RESULTS: With the aggravation of diabetic retinopathy, the choroidal thickness in different distance from the center of the macular decreased. The choroidal thickness of NPDR and PDR group were thinner than that of the control group(P<0.05). The choroidal thickness of NDR group was not different from the control group(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the choroidal thickness between the DME patients and non DME patients(P>0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between choroidal thickness of patients with diabetic retinopathy and diabetic duration, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, eye axis length, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure(P>0.05), but there was a correlation with BCVA(logMAR)(P<0.01). EDV and PSV in NDR group and NPDR group were significantly lower than those in control group, RI was higher than that in control group. PSV and EDV in PDR group were significantly lower than those in other three groups, RI was higher than the other three groups, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: With the severity of retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients, the choroidal thickness decreased, and the thickness of the choroid is beneficial in the comprehensive analysis of 2 diabetic retinopathy.