Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography

IntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate changes in blood flow at the optic nerve head (ONH) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).MethodsA total of 59 eyes from 59 patients with TED and 39 eyes from 39 healthy controls (HCs) were included....

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Main Authors: Shenglan Cao, Rongfeng Liao, Chengbo Fang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1585907/full
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author Shenglan Cao
Rongfeng Liao
Chengbo Fang
author_facet Shenglan Cao
Rongfeng Liao
Chengbo Fang
author_sort Shenglan Cao
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate changes in blood flow at the optic nerve head (ONH) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).MethodsA total of 59 eyes from 59 patients with TED and 39 eyes from 39 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Patients with TED were categorized into the active and inactive groups based on clinical activity scores. All participants underwent ophthalmological and endocrinological tests. Peripapillary vessel density (VD) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) were measured using OCTA. All eyes underwent a 4.5*4.5-mm scan pattern centered on the ONH. The peripapillary region was divided into eight sectors: superior nasal (SN), nasal upper (NU), nasal lower (NL), inferior nasal (IN), inferior temporal (IT), temporal lower (TL), temporal upper (TU), and superior temporal (ST). A correlation analysis was used to explore the association between blood flow changes and relevant factors.ResultsCompared to the eyes of HCs, the eyes of patients in the inactive TED group demonstrated lower radial peripapillary capillary VD, with significant differences observed in the SN and ST sectors of the peripapillary region (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in the peripapillary RNFLT between the groups. Additionally, there was no significant correlation between the whole peripapillary VD and RNFLT or visual functional parameters. Moreover, visual acuity impairment was positively correlated with IN-VD, NU-VD, ST-VD, and NU-RNFLT in the peripapillary region. Intraocular pressure was positively correlated with IN-RNFLT.ConclusionOCTA can detect microvascular ONH changes in patients with TED.
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spelling doaj-art-fb8b7d62f81a41a196fd8d23dccc1fcf2025-08-20T02:34:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-05-011210.3389/fmed.2025.15859071585907Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiographyShenglan CaoRongfeng LiaoChengbo FangIntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate changes in blood flow at the optic nerve head (ONH) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).MethodsA total of 59 eyes from 59 patients with TED and 39 eyes from 39 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Patients with TED were categorized into the active and inactive groups based on clinical activity scores. All participants underwent ophthalmological and endocrinological tests. Peripapillary vessel density (VD) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) were measured using OCTA. All eyes underwent a 4.5*4.5-mm scan pattern centered on the ONH. The peripapillary region was divided into eight sectors: superior nasal (SN), nasal upper (NU), nasal lower (NL), inferior nasal (IN), inferior temporal (IT), temporal lower (TL), temporal upper (TU), and superior temporal (ST). A correlation analysis was used to explore the association between blood flow changes and relevant factors.ResultsCompared to the eyes of HCs, the eyes of patients in the inactive TED group demonstrated lower radial peripapillary capillary VD, with significant differences observed in the SN and ST sectors of the peripapillary region (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in the peripapillary RNFLT between the groups. Additionally, there was no significant correlation between the whole peripapillary VD and RNFLT or visual functional parameters. Moreover, visual acuity impairment was positively correlated with IN-VD, NU-VD, ST-VD, and NU-RNFLT in the peripapillary region. Intraocular pressure was positively correlated with IN-RNFLT.ConclusionOCTA can detect microvascular ONH changes in patients with TED.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1585907/fullthyroid eye diseaseperipapillary vessel densityretinal nerve fiber layer thicknessoptic coherence tomography angiographyradial peripapillary capillaries
spellingShingle Shenglan Cao
Rongfeng Liao
Chengbo Fang
Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
Frontiers in Medicine
thyroid eye disease
peripapillary vessel density
retinal nerve fiber layer thickness
optic coherence tomography angiography
radial peripapillary capillaries
title Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
title_full Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
title_fullStr Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
title_full_unstemmed Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
title_short Alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
title_sort alterations in blood flow at the optic nerve head in patients with thyroid eye disease using optic coherence tomography angiography
topic thyroid eye disease
peripapillary vessel density
retinal nerve fiber layer thickness
optic coherence tomography angiography
radial peripapillary capillaries
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1585907/full
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