Retinal and Choriocapillaris Vascular Changes in Patients Affected by Different Clinical Phenotypes of β-Thalassemia: An Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Study
Gilda Cennamo,
Daniela Montorio,
Giuliano Mazzella,
Paolo Ricchi,
Silvia Costantini,
Anna Spasiano,
Aldo Filosa,
Maria Rosaria Storino,
Francesca Aquila,
Fausto Tranfa,
Michela Grosso
Affiliations
Gilda Cennamo
Eye Clinic, Public Health Department, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy
Daniela Montorio
Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy
Giuliano Mazzella
Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy
Paolo Ricchi
Rare Blood Cell Disease Unit, “Cardarelli” Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy
Silvia Costantini
Rare Blood Cell Disease Unit, “Cardarelli” Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy
Anna Spasiano
Rare Blood Cell Disease Unit, “Cardarelli” Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy
Aldo Filosa
Rare Blood Cell Disease Unit, “Cardarelli” Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy
In this cross-sectional study we assessed the vascular alterations in retinal and choriocapillaris perfusion in patients affected by β-thalassemia, by means of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). A total of 124 eyes of 62 patients (mean age 44.74 ± 5.79 years old) affected by β-thalassemia (transfusion dependent thalassemia (TDT), non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT) and minor) were compared to 40 eyes of twenty healthy subjects. We evaluated the vessel density (VD) in superficial capillary plexus, deep capillary plexus, radial peripapillary capillary, choriocapillaris and the foveal avascular zone area. The TDT group showed a statistically significant reduction in retinal and choriocapillaris VD respect to controls and the other groups (p r = −0.437, p = 0.044) and between ferritin levels and VD of choriocapillaris (r = −0.431, p = 0.038). The OCTA parameters provided a deeper understanding on retinal and choriocapillaris vascular impairment affected by tissue hypoxia levels and the oxidative stress in different clinical phenotypes of the β-thalassemia.
