Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Vascularity Index in Patients With Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

Abstract Purpose: To compare the choroidal thickness parameters of patients with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and healthy subjects using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Methods: In this study, right eye of 27 cases diagnosed with CCHF and 27 healthy subjects were evaluated. CCHF cases were evaluated after history of tick bite and hospitalization. Choroidal thickness was measured using EDI-OCT. Choroidal thickness was measured at five different points at the subfovea, temporal and nasal quadrants at 1000 μm intervals up to 2000 μm from the fovea. Choroidal vascular index (CVI) was defined as the ratio of luminal area (LA) to total choroidal area (TCA), including the total and 1500 μm center of the macula (CVItotal and CVI1500). Result: Choroidal thickness in CCHF group was measured thicker in each quadrant than in the control group and the thickness in the subfoveal and nasal quadrants was significantly greater. TCA, stromal area (SA), LA were found to be significantly higher, but no significant difference was found between CVI and CVI1500. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the choroidal structure may be affected by CCHF disease.