AIM: To observe and compare the changes of foveal retinal and choroidal thickness in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH)by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography(EDI-OCT).

METHODS: Totally 150 patients(289 eyes)diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension were identified by fundus examination and EDI-OCT after mydriasis. The patients were divided into four groups for the Duke-Elder class: P1(vasospasm), P2(angiosclerosis), P3(retinopathy), and control group P0(normal fundus). The average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in each quadrant, foveal retinal and choroidal thickness were measured by EDI-OCT respectively.

RESULTS: There were 36(72 eyes, 24.9%)of 150 women with pregnancy-induced hypertension had no retinal changes, and 114(217 eyes, 75.1%)of 150 cases identified by clinical examinations as having retinal findings. The retinal and choroidal thickness varied with different stages of fundus changes. The RNFL thickness of central subfield(CSF), the foveal retina and choroid were significantly higher in angiosclerosis stage than that in normal fundus group(P<0.05). The RNFL from each area, the foveal retina and choroid were all thicker in retinopathy stage than the other three groups(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: EDI-OCT is one important tool for the study of fundus changes in PIH. Findings in the morphology changes of retina and choroid with the help of EDI-OCT may indicate more about retinal microcirculation changes caused by pregnancy-induced hypertension in depth.