Evaluation of the eye findings of young male patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome compared to healthy individuals by optical coherence tomography angiography

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background It was aimed to evaluate retinal microvascular functions in optic coherence tomography - angiography (OCT-A) as a marker of atherosclerotic risk in young male patients followed up with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Methods This is a prospective study conducted in patients followed in our clinic with the diagnosis of ACS. Thirty male patients diagnosed with ACS and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. The patients in the ACS group underwent eye examination within the first 72 hours and selected parameters of the macular and circumpapillary vasculature, including macular vessel densities, foveal avascular zone, optic disc, were measured using OCT-A. The same measurements were made for those included in the similar age group in the control group and analyzed. Results In OCT-A measurements, the superficial and deep capillary plexus densities were found to be low in the ACS group, and the low superficial capillary plexus (SCP) density, especially in the perifoveal region, was noted (49.9-52.2, p:0.008). In addition, the foveal avascular zone was found to be higher in the ACS group (0.27-0.24, p:0.039). As expected, HDL values were lower and WBC and neutrophil values were higher in ACS patients (p<0.001). In addition, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly lower in the ACS group compared to the control group (LVEF: 49.7%-63.1%, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions Our results support the negative effects of atherosclerosis on retinal microvasculature in the newly diagnosed ACS group without known comorbidity and eye problems. Based on these findings, it was thought that the use of OCT-A in ophthalmic screening may be useful in predicting the atherosclerotic process.