Changes of retinal microcirculation in postnatal patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension based on OCTA

Abstract

AIM: To quantitatively analyze the changes of retinal microcirculation in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH)syndrome who have delivered after more than 6mo by using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).METHODS: In this study, a total of 19 females with PIH, 23 healthy pregnant women and 19 control non pregnant women(CNPW)were recruited. Ocular examinations including diopter, best corrected visual acuity and axial length were measured, respectively. OCTA was used to measure the optic nerve head and macular blood flow parameters, nerve fiber layer and choroidal thickness of the three groups. The data of pregnant patients were collected more than 6mo after delivery. All statistical analyses were performed in the SPSS20.0, and single factor analysis of variance was used to analyze inter-group differences of retinal microcirculation related parameters among the three groups.RESULTS: Foveal avascular zone(FAZ)of the PIH group was significantly larger than that of the HPW and CNPW groups(all P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in macular superficial capillary plexus vessel density among the three groups. The superficial capillary plexus vessel density of each region of the optic nerve head in the PIH group, among which the entire 6mm layer, outer layer, lower lateral layer and lateral nasal, was higher than that in the HPW and CNPW groups. There was no statistical difference in the average thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer among the three groups, but the thickness of temporal retinal nerve fiber layer of PIH group was significantly thinner than that of HPW and CNPW group(all P<0.05). The central foveal thickness of PIH group was significantly thinner than that of HPW group and CNPW group(all P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in central choroid thickness among the three groups.CONCLUSION: Differences were founded in partial retinal superficial capillary plexus vessel density, central foveal thickness and temporal retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in postpartum patients with PIH compared with HPW and CNPW groups, suggesting that the effect of PIH on retinal microcirculation may still exists after delivery.

Keywords

• pregnancy-induced hypertension
• optical coherence tomography angiography(octa)
• retinal superficial capillary plexus vessel density