Deep Capillary Plexus as Biomarker of Peripheral Capillary Nonperfusion in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

Maurizio Battaglia Parodi, MD; Alessandro Arrigo, MD, PhD; Alessio Antropoli, MD; Lorenzo Bianco, MD; Andrea Saladino, MD; Francesco Bandello, MD; Manuel Vilela, MD, PhD; Ahmad Mansour, MD

Ophthalmology Science (Jun 2023)

Deep Capillary Plexus as Biomarker of Peripheral Capillary Nonperfusion in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

Maurizio Battaglia Parodi, MD,
Alessandro Arrigo, MD, PhD,
Alessio Antropoli, MD,
Lorenzo Bianco, MD,
Andrea Saladino, MD,
Francesco Bandello, MD,
Manuel Vilela, MD, PhD,
Ahmad Mansour, MD

Affiliations

Maurizio Battaglia Parodi, MD: Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
Alessandro Arrigo, MD, PhD: Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
Alessio Antropoli, MD: Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Correspondence: Alessio Antropoli, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, Lombardy, 20132, Italy.
Lorenzo Bianco, MD: Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
Andrea Saladino, MD: Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
Francesco Bandello, MD: Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
Manuel Vilela, MD, PhD: Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brasil
Ahmad Mansour, MD: Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 3, no. 2
p. 100267

Abstract

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Purpose: To identify the vascular biomarkers of peripheral capillary nonperfusion in patients affected by naive central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), and to analyze their changes over the follow-up. Study Design: Consecutive prospective case series with a planned follow-up of 2 years. Participants: Thirty-five patients affected by CRVO and 35 healthy gender- and age-matched subjects were enrolled in the study. Methods: Ophthalmic examination included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ultrawidefield fluorescein angiography (UWFFA), OCT, and OCT angiography (OCTA). Main Outcome Measures: Vessel density (VD) at the superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were calculated on OCTA images. The ischemic index (ISI) was calculated on UWFFA. Results: The mean baseline ISI was 37%, increasing to 40% at the end of the follow-up, whereas it was 4.9% in the patients’ fellow eyes and 4.5% in the control group with no change over the follow-up. OCT angiography revealed VD reduction in the DCP, considering both 3 × 3 mm and 12 × 12 mm scans. The correlation analyses revealed that DCP VD was the only parameter showing a statistically significant correlation with the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, BCVA, and ISI. Conclusions: Deep capillary plexus VD impairment is detectable in all CRVO cases, variably involving both the central retina (with enlarged FAZ) and the periphery (with VD reduction in the peripheral retina). The severity of DCP VD reduction has correlates with various clinical markers. Deep capillary plexus VD may represent a crucial biomarker to characterize CRVO, and further studies are necessary to identify the cutoff thresholds for the different clinical manifestations. Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Published in Ophthalmology Science

ISSN: 2666-9145 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Ophthalmology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ophthalmology-science/

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