Assessment of gender-based differences in retinal and choroidal parameters in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Purpose : To evaluate retinal and choroidal changes among males and females with Parkinson’s disease (PD) compared with male and female controls.

Methods : In 149 age-matched PD participants (74 male; 75 female) and 248 controls (112 male; 136 female). OCT angiography (OCTA) foveal avascular zone area (FAZ), vessel density (VD), and perfusion density (PfD) in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study 3- and 6-mm circle and ring and OCT central subfield thickness (CST), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness, and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) were analyzed and compared with generalized estimating equations. CVI was calculated using the Collaborative Ocular Imaging Network (COIN) platform.

Results : There was no statistical difference between age groups.There were no significant differences in VD or PfD in the 3-mm circle or ring, 6-mm circle, inner or outer rings, and RNFL thickness among and between men and women with PD and controls. CST was lower in male controls vs female controls (257.9 ± 29.4 vs 279.76 ± 24.98, p = <0.001). Male controls had a larger FAZ area when compared with female controls (0.26 ± 0.13 vs 0.2 ± 0.09, p <0.001). CVI was lower in female PD vs female controls (0.629 ± 0.008 vs 0.635 ± 0.012, p <0.001).

Conclusions : This study establishes that there are no sex-differences in the retinal microvasculature in patients with PD compared with their respective controls. Female controls have a larger FAZ area compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, there were no single-sex differences except for CVI in female PD vs female control which was not observed in males.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.