Abstract
Purpose :
To examine changes in retinal blood flow and retinal vascular oxygen saturation (SatO2) before and after intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) for diabetic macular edema (DME).
Methods :
The subjects were 21 patients and 21 eyes that underwent IVA for DME. IVA was performed once a month for three months. Blood flow was measured using Laser Speckle Flowgraphy (LSFG) and retinal SatO2 was measured using Oxymap T1 before IVA (0M), 1 month (1M), 2 months (2M) and 3 months (3M) after the start of treatment.
Results :
Retinal blood flow and SatO2 are shown in the order 0M, 1M, 2M, and 3M. The mean blur rate (MBR) for the vascular regions were 28.0±10.1, 25.8±9.1, 25.4±8.3, 24.7±8.6. It was significantly lower at 3M than at 0M (p=0.03). Mean arterial SatO2 was 99.0 ± 7.6%, 100.0 ± 9.3%, 100.2 ± 9.4%, and 99.6 ± 10.0%. Mean venous SatO2 was 55.6 ± 7.6%, 56.9 ± 9.3%, 56.2 ± 9.4%, and 55.3 ± 10.0%. Mean arteriovenous difference was 43.4 ± 11.1%, 43.1 ± 13.4%, 44.0 ± 12.4%, and 44.3 ± 12.8%. Mean arterial SatO2, mean venous SatO2, and mean arteriovenous difference showed no significant differences during follow-up. Significant correlations were found between arteriovenous difference and MBR at 0M, 1M and 2M (r=-0.604, p=0.006; r=-0.626, p=0.004; r=-0.612, p=0.005), but not at 3M (r=-0.359, p=0.13).
Conclusions :
IVA for DME reduced retinal blood flow. and weakened the correlation between retinal blood flow and SatO2 arteriovenous difference.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.