Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study
Background To evaluate retinal microvascular density in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with no clinically evident retinal vascular changes and to correlate the results to disease severity and duration parameters. Patients and methods This case–control study included 21 SSc patients and 21 he...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of the Egyptian Ophthalmological Society |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ejos.ejos_61_24 |
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| author | Yomna A. Alahmadawy Shaimaa Arfeen Mervat Eissa Sally S. Mohamed Nermeen Bahgat Rana A. Abdelfattah |
| author_facet | Yomna A. Alahmadawy Shaimaa Arfeen Mervat Eissa Sally S. Mohamed Nermeen Bahgat Rana A. Abdelfattah |
| author_sort | Yomna A. Alahmadawy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
To evaluate retinal microvascular density in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with no clinically evident retinal vascular changes and to correlate the results to disease severity and duration parameters.
Patients and methods
This case–control study included 21 SSc patients and 21 healthy controls. Patients were classified according to disease type as diffuse or localized. Vessel density data of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were measured using optical coherence tomography angiography.
Results
The superficial foveal vessel density was significantly lower in the SSc group (P<0.001). The average parafoveal vessel densities in the SCP in the upper, lower, and temporal quadrants of the study group were significantly lower than those of the controls (P<0.001, P=0.004, and P<0.001, respectively). Regarding the vessel density in the perifoveal area of the SCP, it was only significantly different in the lower quadrant (P<0.001). The foveal vessel density of the SSc group in the DCP was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.001). The average parafoveal vessel densities of the DCP in the upper, lower, nasal, and temporal quadrants were significantly lower in the SSc group than in the control group (P<0.001). The average upper, lower, nasal, and temporal fields in the perifoveal area of the DCP were significantly lower in the SSc group than in the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion
SSc patients show significant retinal microvascular changes without any clinical signs of retinopathy. These microvascular changes correlate significantly with the severity and partly with duration of the disease. Optical coherence tomography angiography could be used as a valuable objective biomarker for the assessment of microvascular effects in SSc patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-65e54eb79e7d4f2f9b0d259439671c35 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2090-0686 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the Egyptian Ophthalmological Society |
| spelling | doaj-art-65e54eb79e7d4f2f9b0d259439671c352025-08-20T02:16:21ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of the Egyptian Ophthalmological Society2090-06862025-04-0111829810710.4103/ejos.ejos_61_24Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control studyYomna A. AlahmadawyShaimaa ArfeenMervat EissaSally S. MohamedNermeen BahgatRana A. AbdelfattahBackground To evaluate retinal microvascular density in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with no clinically evident retinal vascular changes and to correlate the results to disease severity and duration parameters. Patients and methods This case–control study included 21 SSc patients and 21 healthy controls. Patients were classified according to disease type as diffuse or localized. Vessel density data of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were measured using optical coherence tomography angiography. Results The superficial foveal vessel density was significantly lower in the SSc group (P<0.001). The average parafoveal vessel densities in the SCP in the upper, lower, and temporal quadrants of the study group were significantly lower than those of the controls (P<0.001, P=0.004, and P<0.001, respectively). Regarding the vessel density in the perifoveal area of the SCP, it was only significantly different in the lower quadrant (P<0.001). The foveal vessel density of the SSc group in the DCP was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.001). The average parafoveal vessel densities of the DCP in the upper, lower, nasal, and temporal quadrants were significantly lower in the SSc group than in the control group (P<0.001). The average upper, lower, nasal, and temporal fields in the perifoveal area of the DCP were significantly lower in the SSc group than in the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion SSc patients show significant retinal microvascular changes without any clinical signs of retinopathy. These microvascular changes correlate significantly with the severity and partly with duration of the disease. Optical coherence tomography angiography could be used as a valuable objective biomarker for the assessment of microvascular effects in SSc patients.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ejos.ejos_61_24nail capillaroscopyretinal microvasculaturesystemic sclerosis |
| spellingShingle | Yomna A. Alahmadawy Shaimaa Arfeen Mervat Eissa Sally S. Mohamed Nermeen Bahgat Rana A. Abdelfattah Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study Journal of the Egyptian Ophthalmological Society nail capillaroscopy retinal microvasculature systemic sclerosis |
| title | Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study |
| title_full | Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study |
| title_short | Assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography: a case–control study |
| title_sort | assessment of retinal microvascular changes in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography angiography a case control study |
| topic | nail capillaroscopy retinal microvasculature systemic sclerosis |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ejos.ejos_61_24 |
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