Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system??
Abstract Purpose To investigate retinal thickness and vascular structure in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) and to compare the results with healthy controls. Method The medical records of NAFLD patients were...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | BMC Ophthalmology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04136-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849325759006507008 |
|---|---|
| author | Nurdan Gamze Tasli Betul Onal Gunay Adem Ugurlu Mehtap Arslanturk Eren Murat Aykut Cenap Mahmut Esenülkü |
| author_facet | Nurdan Gamze Tasli Betul Onal Gunay Adem Ugurlu Mehtap Arslanturk Eren Murat Aykut Cenap Mahmut Esenülkü |
| author_sort | Nurdan Gamze Tasli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Purpose To investigate retinal thickness and vascular structure in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) and to compare the results with healthy controls. Method The medical records of NAFLD patients were retrospectively reviewed. Macular thickness (MT) and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness were assessed. The vessel density (VD) of Superficial Capillary Plexus (SCP), Deep Capillary Plexus (DCP), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, FAZ circularity index (CI), and FAZ perimeter were also recorded. Results The study included 64 patients with NAFLD and 64 healthy controls. Mean MT and pRNFLT were similar between groups. The study group showed a significant reduction in VD-DCP compared to the control group (36.0 ± 5.2 vs. 38.5 ± 4.1, p < 0.001). Total FAZ area was greater in the study group than in the control group (0.42 ± 0.10 vs. 0.33 ± 0.12mm2, p < 0.001). FAZ CI also differed between groups (0.47 ± 0.08 vs. 0.53 ± 0.08, p < 0.001). Enlarged FAZ area and decreased VD-DCP were significantly associated with NAFLD severity. Conclusion Individuals with NAFLD have certain changes in the retinal microvasculature, including reduced VD-DCP, an increased FAZ area, and a decreased of FAZ CI. The variations in VD-DCP and FAZ area exhibit discrepancies according to the disease grade. There are some limitations, including its retrospective nature, the small number of participants, the lack of analysis of the peripapillary area, and the lack of examination of longitudinal changes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b87775a954d048a2b5032f9cd51d9938 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2415 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b87775a954d048a2b5032f9cd51d99382025-08-20T03:48:19ZengBMCBMC Ophthalmology1471-24152025-05-012511810.1186/s12886-025-04136-2Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system??Nurdan Gamze Tasli0Betul Onal Gunay1Adem Ugurlu2Mehtap Arslanturk Eren3Murat Aykut4Cenap Mahmut Esenülkü5Department of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Resarch HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Resarch HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Resarch HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Resarch HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Trabzon Kanuni Training and Resarch HospitalAbstract Purpose To investigate retinal thickness and vascular structure in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) and to compare the results with healthy controls. Method The medical records of NAFLD patients were retrospectively reviewed. Macular thickness (MT) and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness were assessed. The vessel density (VD) of Superficial Capillary Plexus (SCP), Deep Capillary Plexus (DCP), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, FAZ circularity index (CI), and FAZ perimeter were also recorded. Results The study included 64 patients with NAFLD and 64 healthy controls. Mean MT and pRNFLT were similar between groups. The study group showed a significant reduction in VD-DCP compared to the control group (36.0 ± 5.2 vs. 38.5 ± 4.1, p < 0.001). Total FAZ area was greater in the study group than in the control group (0.42 ± 0.10 vs. 0.33 ± 0.12mm2, p < 0.001). FAZ CI also differed between groups (0.47 ± 0.08 vs. 0.53 ± 0.08, p < 0.001). Enlarged FAZ area and decreased VD-DCP were significantly associated with NAFLD severity. Conclusion Individuals with NAFLD have certain changes in the retinal microvasculature, including reduced VD-DCP, an increased FAZ area, and a decreased of FAZ CI. The variations in VD-DCP and FAZ area exhibit discrepancies according to the disease grade. There are some limitations, including its retrospective nature, the small number of participants, the lack of analysis of the peripapillary area, and the lack of examination of longitudinal changes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04136-2Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseOCTOCTAFAZ areaFAZ circularity index |
| spellingShingle | Nurdan Gamze Tasli Betul Onal Gunay Adem Ugurlu Mehtap Arslanturk Eren Murat Aykut Cenap Mahmut Esenülkü Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system?? BMC Ophthalmology Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease OCT OCTA FAZ area FAZ circularity index |
| title | Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system?? |
| title_full | Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system?? |
| title_fullStr | Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system?? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system?? |
| title_short | Optical coherence tomography angiography in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is it a disease affecting the microvascular system?? |
| title_sort | optical coherence tomography angiography in non alcoholic fatty liver disease is it a disease affecting the microvascular system |
| topic | Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease OCT OCTA FAZ area FAZ circularity index |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04136-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nurdangamzetasli opticalcoherencetomographyangiographyinnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseisitadiseaseaffectingthemicrovascularsystem AT betulonalgunay opticalcoherencetomographyangiographyinnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseisitadiseaseaffectingthemicrovascularsystem AT ademugurlu opticalcoherencetomographyangiographyinnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseisitadiseaseaffectingthemicrovascularsystem AT mehtaparslanturkeren opticalcoherencetomographyangiographyinnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseisitadiseaseaffectingthemicrovascularsystem AT murataykut opticalcoherencetomographyangiographyinnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseisitadiseaseaffectingthemicrovascularsystem AT cenapmahmutesenulku opticalcoherencetomographyangiographyinnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseisitadiseaseaffectingthemicrovascularsystem |