Abstract
Purpose :
Most babies born prematurely do not develop retinopathy requiring treatment. Complications in this specific population are known to occur in adults. To assess the vasculature in these adult patients with a history of premature birth, we analyzed swept source optical coherence tomography angiograms (SS-OCTA) to identify potential novel imaging biomarkers.
Methods :
This is a retrospective IRB approved study. Seventeen eyes from ten adult patients with a history of prematurity (mean age 44 years; range 23-76) imaged with SS-OCTA (Zeiss Plex Elite) were compared to 19 age matched control eyes. SS-OCTA superficial capillary plexus en face 3x3 mm and 6x6 mm scans were analyzed. The border of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was traced manually, and FAZ metrics of total area, perimeter, and circularity index (given as a number between 0 and 1, 1 indicating a perfect uniform circle) were calculated with ImageJ software (NIH, Bethesda, MD). Spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) metrics were also evaluated. Independent t tests were used to compare OCTA and OCT features.
Results :
Adults born prematurely had significantly smaller FAZ area (p=0.001) of less uniform shape as indicated by circularity index (p<0.001) than controls. The mean FAZ area (mm2), perimeter (mm), and circularity index (0-1) on SS-OCTA were 0.11 ± 0.084, 1.7 ± 0.72, and 0.46 ± 0.17, respectively, in adults with premature birth and 0.21 ± 0.079, 2.0 ± 0.41, 0.67 ± 0.11 in controls. There was no significant difference in the mean central subfield thickness (CST, mm), central volume (CV, μm 3), and cube average thickness (CAT, mm) on SD-OCT in adults born prematurely (293 ± 32.5, 9.92 ± 1.07, and 276 ± 29.3) and in controls (277 ± 22.6, 10.4 ± 0.370, 290 ± 10.3).
Conclusions :
SS-OCTA in adult patients with a history of premature birth without treated retinopathy demonstrated significantly smaller and less uniform FAZ than controls. This increased vascularity as seen within the fovea on SS-OCTA may be a useful imaging modality to identify these patients.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.