Evaluation of vascular network in macular and peripapillary regions with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Abstract

Purpose : To evaluate vascular network in different retinal layers and peripapillary region in BRVO eyes.

Methods : 29 patients with unilateral BRVO and a control group of 22 age-matched normal individuals were examined with OCTA using RTVue XR AngioVue Version 2017.1. A 3*3 mm² scan of the macular and a 4.5 mm² scan of the optic disc were obtained in each individual. Vascular network of macular and peripapillary region were compared among BRVO eyes, ipsilateral eyes and normal eyes.

Results : BRVO eyes, ipsilateral eyes and normal eyes were compared with one another. In macular region, vessel density in superficial and deep retinal layers was lower in BRVO eyes compared with ipsilateral eyes (p＜0.05), except for inferior region in superficial retinal layer and fovea region in deep retinal layer. Acircularity index (AI) was higher (p＜0.05) (Figure1) while foveal density-300 (FD-300) was lower (p＜0.05) (Figure2) in BRVO eyes compared with ipsilateral eyes. Vessel density in superficial and deep retinal layers was lower in BRVO eyes compared with normal eyes (p＜0.05), except for superior and inferior regions in superficial retinal layer and fovea region in deep retinal layer. AI was higher (p＜0.05) while FD-300 was lower (p＜0.05) in BRVO eyes compared with normal eyes. No significant difference in macular vessel density was observed between ipsilateral eyes and normal eyes. No significant difference in area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was observed among three groups. In peripapillary region, vessel density in BRVO eyes was lower in inferior temporal, temporal superior, superior temporal and superior nasal region compared with ipsilateral eyes (p＜0.05). Vessel density in BRVO eyes was lower only in superior temporal region compared with normal eyes (p＜0.05). No significant difference in peripapillary vessel density was observed between ipsilateral eyes and normal eyes.

Conclusions : Decreased vessel density existed not only in macular region but also in peripapillary regions in BRVO eyes. AI and FD-300 are more sensitive in detecting fovea vessel abnormality than FAZ area.

This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.

 

Figure1. Acircularity index in BRVO eyes, ipsilateral eyes and normal eyes (*: p＜0.05).

 

Figure 2. FD-300 in BRVO eyes, ipsilateral eyes and normal eyes (*: p＜0.05).