Choroidal and Ganglion Cell Complex Thicknesses in Subjects with Type A Behavior Pattern: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study

Aim: To evaluate choroidal thickness (CT) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in subjects with type A behavior pattern (TABP). Material and Method: Thirty-eight eyes of 38 healthy controls and 38 eyes of 38 patients with TABP were enrolled. Each subject underwent a complete ophthalmic examination before SD-OCT images were obtained. Choroidal thicknesses were measured manually at the central of fovea (subfoveal) and 500 µm intervals up to 1500 µm temporal (T1, T2, T3) and nasal (N1, N2, N3) to the fovea with Enhanced Depth Imaging (EDI ) mode. GCC thickness was evaluated automatically as the minimum and the average thicknesses. Parameters were compared between the groups. Results: The mean ages were 38.7±13.8 years in TABP group, and 40.3±11.5 years in control group. There were no significant differences in mean age, gender distribution, intraocular pressure and spherical equivalent between the groups (p>0.05). The mean (±SD) CT for each of the 7 points (subfoveal, N1, N2, N3, T1, T2, T3) in TABP group were 325.4±45.1, 301.3±39.4, 284.6±35.2, 269.5±41.9, 293.2±40.7, 274.5±43.8, 260.5±44.3 µm, respectively. CT values in control group were 322.9±27.9, 301.8±33.2, 288.5±35.0, 278.1±33.4, 297.2±31.5, 285.1±33.0, 271.4±39.5 µm, respectively. There was no significant differences in CT for all 7 points between the groups (p>0,05). The mean and minimum GCC thicknesses in TABP group were 82.2±5.3 µm and 79.0±6.4 µm, respectively. Corresponding values in control group were 86.3±7.2 µm and 83.5±6.0 µm, respectively. There were significant differences in mean and minimum GCC thicknesses between the groups (p>0,05). Discussion: Although no detectable difference between the groups in terms of CT, the mean and minimum GCC thickness values of TABP patients were statistically lower than control group. TABP may be accompanied with a decrease of ganglion cell thickness.\