Toh N, Hashimoto Y, Kuwahara F, Yoshimura M, Imabayashi S, Yoshitomi T. Choroidal Thickness Increases During Parasympathetic Dominance After Immersion of the Foot in Warm Water.
Cureus 2024;
16:e53194. [PMID:
38425624 PMCID:
PMC10902740 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.53194]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE
This study aimed to assess the course of changes in choroidal morphology after immersion of the foot in warm water at 40°C using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).
METHODS
Forty-three right eyes of 43 healthy participants were included. Changes in choroidal morphology were determined using EDI-OCT to evaluate subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT). Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures (SBP, DBP, and MBP, respectively) were also measured to determine systemic circulatory dynamics at baseline, immediately after immersion (0 min), and 10, 20, and 30 min after immersion.
RESULTS
Immediately after immersion, SBP, DBP, and MBP were significantly declined versus baseline. In contrast, the SCT was significantly increased after warm water immersion. However, all these parameters did not change significantly compared to the baseline within 30 min.
CONCLUSION
In the normal eye, parasympathetic nerve activity induced by warming stimuli increases choroidal morphology in response to a decrease in systemic circulatory activity, which normalizes within 30 min. The findings of this study may provide basic data for the prevention and treatment of various choroidal diseases in which sympathetic hyperactivity is involved in the pathogenesis.
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