Dataset Information

Choroidal Vascular Impairment in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

ABSTRACT: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease, whose complete pathogenesis is still unclear. Local hemodynamics may play a crucial role in its manifestation and progression. To evaluate choroidal and retinal vascular parameters, a total of 134 eyes were analyzed, 100 with intermediate AMD and 34 age matched healthy controls. 131 eyes of 104 patients were eligible for complete image assessment and 3 eyes were excluded for insufficient image quality: Group 1: intermediate AMD (n = 97) and Group 2: healthy controls (n = 34). Spectral domain optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) and optic coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) were acquired using Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering). Choroid and retinal capillary plexus were evaluated and image binarization was used to obtain quantitative data. Mean age was 77.67 years old (YO) and 67.2% were women. Total subfoveal choroidal area and luminal area were significantly reduced in Group 1 compared with Group 2 (0.88 mm² and 0.40 mm² vs. 1.24 mm² and 0.55 mm², respectively) (p < 0.05). Regarding choriocapillary flow density, AMD eyes recorded reduced values (34.83%) compared with controls (36.25%) (p < 0.05). Chorioretinal vasculature is impaired in intermediate AMD patients and vascular parameters could be attractive new prognostic biomarkers. Future therapeutic approaches may target this vascular dysfunction and delay disease progression.

SUBMITTER: Flores R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9141612 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Choroidal Vascular Impairment in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Flores Rita R Carneiro Ângela Â Neri Guilherme G Fradinho Ana C AC Quenderra Bruno B Barata Maria João MJ Tenreiro Sandra S Seabra Miguel C MC

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) 20220522 5

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease, whose complete pathogenesis is still unclear. Local hemodynamics may play a crucial role in its manifestation and progression. To evaluate choroidal and retinal vascular parameters, a total of 134 eyes were analyzed, 100 with intermediate AMD and 34 age matched healthy controls. 131 eyes of 104 patients were eligible for complete image assessment and 3 eyes were excluded for insufficient image quality: Group 1: intermediate AMD ...[more]

PMID: 35626445

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Project description:ImportanceAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease with genetic and environmental factors contributing to risk. Histopathologic changes underlying AMD are not fully understood, particularly the relationship between choriocapillaris (CC) dysfunction and phenotypic variability of this disease.ObjectiveTo examine histopathologic changes in the CC of eyes with clinically documented AMD.Design, setting, and participantsThe study was designed in 2011. Tissues were collected post mortem (2012-2016), and histopathological images were obtained from participants enrolled in AMD studies since 1988. Clinical records and images were collected from participants as standard protocol. Eyes without AMD (n = 4) and eyes with early (n = 9), intermediate (n = 5), and advanced stages of AMD (geographic atrophy, n = 5; neovascular disease, n = 13) were evaluated. Choroidal vasculature was labeled using Ulex europaeus agglutinin lectin and examined using confocal microscopy.Main outcomes and measuresA standardized classification system was applied to determine AMD stage. Ocular records and images were reviewed and histopathologic analyses performed. Viability of the choroidal vasculature was analyzed for each AMD stage.ResultsAll participants were white. Fourteen were male, and 16 were female. The mean age was 90.5 years among AMD patients and 88.5 years among control participants. Submacular CC dropout without retinal pigment eipthelial (RPE) loss was observed in all cases with early stages of AMD. Higher vascular area loss for each AMD stage was observed compared with control participants: 20.5% in early AMD (95% CI, 11.2%-40.2%; P < .001), 12.5% in intermediate AMD (95% CI, 2.9%-21.4%; P = .01), 39.0% loss in GA (95% CI, 32.1%-45.4%; P < .001), and 38.2% loss in neovascular disease where RPE remained intact (95% CI, 27.7%-47.9%; P < .001). Hypercellular, apparent neovascular buds were adjacent to areas of CC loss in 22.2% of eyes with early AMD and 40% of eyes with intermediate AMD.Conclusions and relevanceRetinal pigment epithelial atrophy preceded CC loss in geographic atrophy, but CC loss occurred in the absence of RPE atrophy in 2 of 9 eyes with early-stage AMD. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study and the small number of eyes evaluated, definitive conclusions regarding this progression cannot be determined with certainty. We speculate that neovascular buds may be a precursor to neovascular disease. Hypoxic RPE resulting from reduced blood supply might upregulate production of vascular endothelial growth factor, providing the stimulus for neovascular disease.

Project description:PurposeTo examine changes in retinal vasculature and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).MethodsZeiss Cirrus Angioplex OCTA 6 × 6 mm scans and a macula 512 × 128 cube scans of the central retina were taken of 63 eyes with intermediate AMD and 51 control eyes. For OCTA scans, the superficial and deep capillary plexus were automatically segmented and vascular density quantified as total number of pixels contributing to the blood flow signal detectable by OCTA. Images were then skeletonized and vessel length, diameter index, morphology, and branching complexity determined. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) characteristics and GCL thickness were extracted from in-built Angioplex software.ResultsVascular density was significantly reduced in the superficial capillary plexus of AMD eyes compared with normal eyes, particularly in the superior quadrant (42.4% ± 1.6% vs. 43.2% ± 1.4%; P < 0.05). A nonsignificant reduction was also seen in the deep capillary plexus (P = 0.06). Total vessel length and average vessel diameter were all significantly decreased in AMD eyes suggesting density changes were related to decreased vessel number and caliber. Vascular complexity and number of branch points was significantly decreased in the deep capillary plexus (P < 0.05) suggesting loss or significantly reduced flow of vessels. Average GCL thickness was also significantly reduced in the AMD eyes (P < 0.05). No significant changes in FAZ parameters were observed in AMD eyes.ConclusionsThis study suggests intermediate AMD affects both the quantity and morphology of inner retinal vasculature and may be associated with changes in inner retinal structure. This work builds upon the notion that AMD pathogenesis may extends beyond the outer retina.Translational relevanceBetter understanding of retinal vascular changes in AMD can provide insights in the development of treatment and prevention protocols for these diseases.

Project description:BackgroundTo investigate the characteristics of retinal vessels and retinal thickness in eyes with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with or without reticular pseudodrusen.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the clinical history and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography images of consecutive patients with early AMD. We calculated the retinal vessel densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexus with the ImageJ software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA) and investigated the relationship with mean retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness.ResultsWe included 135 early AMD eyes and classified 60 of them into a reticular pseudodrusen group and 75 into a non-reticular pseudodrusen group. The vascular densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexus in the reticular pseudodrusen group (32.35% ± 3.67 and 26.71% ± 2.88%) were not different from those of the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (33.18% ± 2.2% and % 27.43 ± 1.79%; P = 0.546 and P = 0.318, respectively). The retinal thickness of the reticular pseudodrusen group (287.31 μm ± 24.36 μm) did not differ from that of the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (294.27 μm ± 20.71 μm; P = 0.493), while subfoveal choroidal thickness in the reticular pseudodrusen group (158.13 μm ± 42.53 μm) was lower than that in the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (237.89 μm ± 60.94 μm; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that lower vascular density of the superficial capillary plexus and subfoveal choroidal thickness were associated with retinal thinning in reticular pseudodrusen group (P = 0.003 and P = 0.036) and older age was associated with retinal thickness in the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (P = 0.005).ConclusionsRetinal thinning in early AMD patients with reticular pseudodrusen was accompanied by choroidal and retinal vascular loss, which suggests a possible linkage of retinal thinning with vascular alterations.

Dataset Information

Choroidal Vascular Impairment in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Publications

Choroidal Vascular Impairment in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

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