Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography

PurposeThis study employed swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) to explore potential hemodynamic alterations in the retina and choroid following radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsA total of 58 eyes from 32 patients were included, w...

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Main Authors: Jin Wang, Huiran Yang, Qingjian Li, Yucen Wang, Pei Zhang, Zhiliang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1612303/full
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author Jin Wang
Huiran Yang
Qingjian Li
Yucen Wang
Pei Zhang
Pei Zhang
Zhiliang Wang
author_facet Jin Wang
Huiran Yang
Qingjian Li
Yucen Wang
Pei Zhang
Pei Zhang
Zhiliang Wang
author_sort Jin Wang
collection DOAJ
description PurposeThis study employed swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) to explore potential hemodynamic alterations in the retina and choroid following radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsA total of 58 eyes from 32 patients were included, with SS-OCTA examinations conducted preoperatively and 1 day postoperatively. The evaluated parameters encompassed vessel density (VD) of the superficial vascular complex (SVC), VD of the deep vascular complex (DVC), choroidal vascular index (CVI), choroidal thickness (CT), thickness of the superficial retinal layer (SRL), and thickness of the deeper retinal layer (DRL).ResultsResults indicated no significant changes in the VD of the SVC and DVC, nor in the thickness of the superficial and deeper retinal layers. Conversely, CT demonstrated a significant increase (P < 0.05) and the CVI exhibited a notable rise exclusively within the 1-mm diameter region centered on the fovea (P < 0.05).ConclusionThese findings underscore the remarkable hemodynamic stability of retinal microcirculation in the early postoperative phase. The observed increase in CT and localized elevation in CVI may signify compensatory mechanisms involving enhanced postoperative choroidal perfusion and redistribution of cardiac output, thereby reinforcing the choroid’s superior sensitivity as a biomarker for detecting subtle hemodynamic shifts in AF-related ocular pathology.
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spelling doaj-art-368f749fe1c8450dab9ffe39a6b03a7d2025-08-20T02:35:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2025-06-011310.3389/fcell.2025.16123031612303Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiographyJin Wang0Huiran Yang1Qingjian Li2Yucen Wang3Pei Zhang4Pei Zhang5Zhiliang Wang6Department of Cardiology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Fourth Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, ChinaPurposeThis study employed swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) to explore potential hemodynamic alterations in the retina and choroid following radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsA total of 58 eyes from 32 patients were included, with SS-OCTA examinations conducted preoperatively and 1 day postoperatively. The evaluated parameters encompassed vessel density (VD) of the superficial vascular complex (SVC), VD of the deep vascular complex (DVC), choroidal vascular index (CVI), choroidal thickness (CT), thickness of the superficial retinal layer (SRL), and thickness of the deeper retinal layer (DRL).ResultsResults indicated no significant changes in the VD of the SVC and DVC, nor in the thickness of the superficial and deeper retinal layers. Conversely, CT demonstrated a significant increase (P < 0.05) and the CVI exhibited a notable rise exclusively within the 1-mm diameter region centered on the fovea (P < 0.05).ConclusionThese findings underscore the remarkable hemodynamic stability of retinal microcirculation in the early postoperative phase. The observed increase in CT and localized elevation in CVI may signify compensatory mechanisms involving enhanced postoperative choroidal perfusion and redistribution of cardiac output, thereby reinforcing the choroid’s superior sensitivity as a biomarker for detecting subtle hemodynamic shifts in AF-related ocular pathology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1612303/fullatrial fibrillationoptical coherence tomography angiographyvessel densitychoroidal vascular indexchoroidal thickness
spellingShingle Jin Wang
Huiran Yang
Qingjian Li
Yucen Wang
Pei Zhang
Pei Zhang
Zhiliang Wang
Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
atrial fibrillation
optical coherence tomography angiography
vessel density
choroidal vascular index
choroidal thickness
title Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
title_full Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
title_fullStr Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
title_short Assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
title_sort assessment of retinal and choroidal microcirculatory alterations following radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography
topic atrial fibrillation
optical coherence tomography angiography
vessel density
choroidal vascular index
choroidal thickness
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1612303/full
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