Ophthalmology and Therapy (Dec 2022)

Evaluation of Retinal Vascularity Index in Patients with COVID-19: A Case–Control Study

  • Sandy Zhou Wenting,
  • Ankita Shrivastav,
  • Trupti Gilada,
  • Xin Le Ng,
  • Sean Ng,
  • Chun Hau Chua,
  • Shibjash Dutt,
  • Sundaram Natarajan,
  • Rupesh Agrawal

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40123-022-00630-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 2
pp. 879 – 894

Abstract

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Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 infection on retinal microvasculature by topographically mapping the retinal arteriole-to-venule ratio (AVR). Methods In a comparative cross-sectional case–control study, fundus photos were obtained in COVID-19-infected patients and healthy controls. AVT was measured over 16 points across the retina using retinal vascularity index (RVI)—a novel semi-automated computerized parameter based on retinal vasculature. Results A total of 51 COVID-19-positive patients and 65 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Overall, the mean RVI of all 16 points across the retina was 0.34 ± 0.02 in patients with COVID-19 and 0.33 ± 0.02 in control subjects (p = 0.64). Out of the 16 points being measured, three points had a statistically significant greater value in patients with COVID compared to normal controls. Conclusion Localised greater RVI values were found in some of the points in COVID-19-positive patients, which likely indicates a more focal change of the vasculature.

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