Correlation of Photoreceptor Integrity with Retinal Vessel Density and Choriocapillaris in Eyes with Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract: Introduction: Optical coherence tomography angiography is a non-invasive imaging technique that is able to visualize the different retinal vascular layers using motion contrast to detect blood flow without intravenous dye injection. This method might help to assess microangiopathy in diabetic retinopathy during screening and follow-up. Aim: To quantify retinal microvasculature alterations in both eyes of diabetic patients in relation to systemic risk factors using optical coherence tomography angiography. Method: Both eyes of 36 diabetic patients and 45 individuals without diabetes were examined. Duration of diabetes, insulin therapy, blood pressure, HbA1c, dyslipidemia, axial length and the presence of diabetic retinopathy were recorded. Retinal vessel density was measured by optical coherence tomography angiography. The effect of risk factors on vessel density and between-eye asymmetry was assessed using multivariable regression analysis. Results: Vessel density was significantly lower and between-eye difference was significantly higher in diabetic patients compared to controls (p<0.05). Both vessel density and between-eye asymmetry significantly correlated with diabetes duration (p<0.05) after controlling for the effect of risk factors. The between-eye asymmetry in vessel density was significantly higher in patients without clinically detectable diabetic retinopathy compared to control subjects (p<0.001). Conclusions: There is a decrease in retinal vessel density and an increase in between-eye asymmetry in patients with diabetes compared to healthy subjects. By using optical coherence tomography angiography, the detection of these microvascular alterations is possible before clinically detectable diabetic retinopathy and might serve as a useful tool in both screening and timing of treatment. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(8): 320–326.

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Quantitative analysis of retinal vessel density and thickness changes in diabetes mellitus evaluated using optical coherence tomography angiography: a cross-sectional study

BMC Ophthalmology ◽

10.1186/s12886-021-01988-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xinyue Li ◽

Yu Yu ◽

Xueting Liu ◽

Yan Shi ◽

Xin Jin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetic Retinopathy ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography ◽

Retinal Vessel ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Patients With Diabetes ◽

Retinal Vessel Density

Abstract Background Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes; however, early changes in retinal microvessels are difficult to detect clinically, and a patient’s vision may have begun to deteriorate by the time a problem is identified. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is an innovative tool for observing capillaries in vivo. The aim of this study was to analyze retinal vessel density and thickness changes in patients with diabetes. Methods This was a retrospective, observational cross-sectional study. Between August 2018 and February 2019, we collected OCTA data from healthy participants and diabetics from the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. Analyzed their retinal vessel density and thickness changes. Results A total of 97 diabetic patients with diabetes at different severity stages of diabetic retinopathy and 85 controls were involved in the experiment. Diabetic patients exhibited significantly lower retinal VD (particularly in the deep vascular complexes), thickening of the neurosensory retina, and thinning of the retinal pigment epithelium compared with controls. In the control group, nondiabetic retinopathy group and mild diabetic retinopathy group, superficial VD was significantly correlated with retinal thickness (r = 0.3886, P < 0.0001; r = 0.3276, P = 0.0019; r = 0.4614, P = 0.0024, respectively). Conclusions Patients with diabetes exhibit ischemia of the retinal capillaries and morphologic changes in vivo prior to vision loss. Therefore, OCTA may be useful as a quantitative method for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy.

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Reduced retinal vessel density in COVID-19 patients and elevated D-dimer levels during the acute phase of the infection

Medicina Clínica ◽

10.1016/j.medcli.2020.12.006 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Noemi Guemes-Villahoz ◽

Barbara Burgos-Blasco ◽

Beatriz Vidal-Villegas ◽

Juan Donate-López ◽

Francisco Javier Martín-Sánchez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Phase ◽

Retinal Vessel ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Retinal Vessel Density ◽

D Dimer

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Reduced retinal vessel density in COVID-19 patients and elevated D-dimer levels during the acute phase of the infection

Medicina Clínica (English Edition) ◽

10.1016/j.medcle.2020.12.020 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 156 (11) ◽

pp. 541-546

Author(s):

Noemi Guemes-Villahoz ◽

Barbara Burgos-Blasco ◽

Beatriz Vidal-Villegas ◽

Juan Donate-López ◽

Francisco Javier Martín-Sánchez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Phase ◽

Retinal Vessel ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Retinal Vessel Density ◽

D Dimer

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Assessment of superficial and deep retinal vessel density in systemic lupus erythematosus patients using optical coherence tomography angiography

Graefe s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology ◽

10.1007/s00417-020-04626-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 258 (6) ◽

pp. 1261-1268 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Shaimaa A. Arfeen ◽

Nermeen Bahgat ◽

Nehal Adel ◽

Mervat Eissa ◽

Mohamed M. Khafagy

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography ◽

Retinal Vessel ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Optical Coherence ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Retinal Vessel Density

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Retinal and Choriocapillary Vascular Changes in Early Stages of Multiple Sclerosis: A Prospective Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10245756 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (24) ◽

pp. 5756

Author(s):

Daniela Montorio ◽

Roberta Lanzillo ◽

Antonio Carotenuto ◽

Maria Petracca ◽

Marcello Moccia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Retinal Vessel ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Ganglion Cell Complex ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Fiber Layer ◽

Density Reduction ◽

Capillary Plexus ◽

Retinal Vessel Density ◽

A Prospective Study

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) abnormalities occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) over the course of the disease. OCTA investigations at early MS stages are lacking. We aimed to investigate vessel density in macular and papillary regions over two years after an initial demyelinating event (IDE). Vessel density was analyzed in superficial, deep, choriocapillaris and radial peripapillary plexus at baseline, and after one and two years. We also evaluated structural OCT parameter changes of the ganglion cell complex (GCC) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). We evaluated 30 eyes from 15 IDE patients (7 females, 8 males, mean age 28.4 ± 9.6 years) and 30 eyes from 15 healthy controls. After 2 years, we reported in the IDE group a reduced vessel density in the superficial capillary plexus, deep capillary plexus and radial peripapillary capillary plexus with respect to the baseline (coeff. β = −2.779, p = 0.013; coeff. β = −4.055, p = 0.018 and coeff. β = −2.687, p ≤ 0.001; respectively), while GCC and RNFL thicknesses did not change. Vessel density reduction was not associated with an expanded disability status scale (EDSS) change, relapse occurrence or magnetic resonance imaging activity. The analysis of healthy controls did not reveal any impairment in OCT and OCTA parameters over 2 years of follow-up. Retinal vascular loss occurs in patients with an IDE independently from clinical and radiological disease activity. Retinal vessel density could represent a novel early biomarker to monitor the MS pathological burden.

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