Abstract
BackgroTo assess the microvascular changes in the macular region and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area in participants with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS OCTA).MethodsThis cross-sectional study included a total of 23 WMH participants (45 eyes) and 20 age-matched healthy participants (40 eyes). SS OCTA (VG200; SVision Imaging, Ltd., Luoyang, China) was used to assess the retinal vessel density (VD) and the FAZ area. VD was measured in the superficial vascular plexus (SVP), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) within a 6 × 6-mm scan centred on the macula using a 5-mm Macula circle. The FAZ area was automatically measured on the inner retina layer within a 3 × 3-mm scan in the macular region.ResultsThere was no significant difference in VD in the SVP between the two groups. However, VD in both the ICP and DCP was significantly decreased in WMH participants (P = 0.028, P = 0.016). The FAZ area was significantly enlarged in WMH participants (P = 0.030). The signal quality was significantly lower in WMH participants (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThis study suggested that WMH participants have retinal microvascular and foveal avascular zone area changes compared with healthy controls. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to identify the value of our findings in the early evaluation of WMHs.
Highlights
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and has been reported to affect millions of elderly individuals worldwide [1, 2]
45 eyes from 23 White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) participants and 40 eyes from 20 healthy control (HC) participants were enrolled in imaging processing
Our results showed significantly decreased vessel density (VD) in both the intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and the deep capillary plexus (DCP) and an enlarged foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area in WMH participants compared with age-matched healthy control participants
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and has been reported to affect millions of elderly individuals worldwide [1, 2]. A loss of neurons, atrophy of the brain and deposition of amyloid plaques are normally associated with the pathophysiologic process of AD [3]. Gao et al BMC Ophthalmology (2022) 22:77 clinicians have suggested that the early phase or preclinical phase of AD may be the new route to help develop timely and effective diagnostic approaches to help slow the progression of the disease. With such tools, early-stage targeted intervention could be conducted to prevent AD. Whether microvascular dysfunction contributes to neuronal loss in the brain is unclear. It is vital to be able to detect the association between them
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