Assessment of macular microcirculation in patients with multiple sclerosis by swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography

Year 2024, Volume: 37 Issue: 2, 192 - 197, 31.05.2024

Serhat Eker , Yalçın Karaküçük , Haluk Gumus

https://doi.org/10.5472/marumj.1487767

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the changes in the retinal microcirculation in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients by swept-source optical
coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA).
Patients and Methods: Thirty-seven patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 40 healthy volunteers were included into this crosssectional
study. Clinical history, Expanded Disability Status Scale and duration of MS were collected. SS-OCTA by deep range imaging
(DRI) OCT measurements were performed on all subjects. Macular perfusion parameters including superficial and deep foveal
avascular zones (FAZs, FAZd, respectively) (%), vascular densities of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) (%), deep capillary plexus
(DCP) (%) and choriocapillaris (CC) (%) were compared with healthy subjects.
Results: Vascular densities of SCP, DCP and CC were found to be statistically lower in the study group compared to the control group
(p = 0.02, p = 0.03, p = 0.03, respectively). FAZs and FAZd, areas were significantly higher in the study group (p = 0.02, p = 0.02,
respectively). Central macular thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness were significantly lower than in the control group (p =
0.015, p = 0.047, respectively).
Conclusion: Evaluation of retinal blood flow in patients with MS is useful both for understanding the physiopathology of the disease
and in the clinical follow-up.

Keywords

Multiple sclerosis, Retinal vasculature, Vascular density, Macular perfusion, Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography

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