Retina. 2022 Jan 10. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000003407. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To analyze the retino-choroidal vascular characteristics of patients affected by pigmented paravenous chorio-retinal atrophy (PPCRA) by means of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
METHODS: The study was designed as an observational, cross-sectional case series. Multimodal imaging included fundus autofluorescence (FAF), structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). The quantitative OCTA analyses included the calculation of the vessel density (VD) and choriocapillaris porosity.
RESULTS: Overall, 12 patients (24 eyes) affected by PPCRA were recruited. Structural OCT of the areas involved by PPCRA as visualized on FAF showed a complete EZ and ELM absence, with thinning of ganglion cell complex (GCC), outer nuclear layer (ONL), and outer plexiform layer, but associated with the optical partial preservation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). OCTA quantitative assessment of the retinal regions affected by PPRCA, as visualized by FAF, were characterized by normal VD at the level of superficial capillary plexus, but significantly altered VD of deep capillary plexus (DCP) and choriocapillaris, with higher choriocapillaris porosity.The presence of macular atrophy was significantly correlated with worse DCP and choriocapillaris VD values. Furthermore, a statistically significant correlation between the FAF patterns and the retinal vascular status was found.
CONCLUSIONS: OCTA quantitative analyses in PPCRA demonstrate a specific impairment at the level of the DCP, which could in turn bring about a thinning of GCC and ONL. The alterations at the level of the choriocapillaris and the choroid in general, could then represent a secondary effect.
PMID:35030147 | DOI:10.1097/IAE.0000000000003407
