To evaluate changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness in patients with malignant hypertension.

A total of 12 eyes of six malignant hypertension patients were included in the present study. Intraocular pressure, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and choroidal thickness were measured before and after blood pressure control. Choroidal thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). The changes in choroidal extravascular density of the EDI-OCT image after blood pressure control were evaluated by comparing brightness values obtained with Adobe Photoshop software.

The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) of malignant hypertension patients was 412.63 ± 66.55 µm (mean ± SD), which was thicker than in normal patients. After blood pressure control, SFCT decreased significantly to 356.96 ± 59.08 µm (mean ± SD) ( p = 0.002). The choroidal extravascular density of the EDI-OCT image decreased after blood pressure control ( p = 0.002), and the mean change was 17.21 ± 7.56.

The choroid is thickened in patients with malignant hypertension, and its thickness decreases after blood pressure control. This suggests that changes in blood pressure may affect choroidal thickness.