Evaluation of retinal perfusion density and foveal avascular zone in migraine subjects with and without aura

• Published in: Journal of clinical neuroscience Vol. 126; pp. 348 - 352
• Main Authors: Walha, Yasmin, Sonda Moalla, Khadija, Rekik, Mona, Kammoun, Sonda, Ayedi, Omar, Mhiri, Chokri, Dammak, Mariem, Trigui, Amira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Aura; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Fovea Centralis - blood supply; Fovea Centralis - diagnostic imaging; Fovea Centralis - pathology; Foveal avascular zone; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Migraine; Migraine with Aura - diagnostic imaging; Migraine with Aura - physiopathology; Migraine without Aura - diagnostic imaging; Migraine without Aura - physiopathology; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Retinal Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Retinal Vessels - pathology; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Vessel and perfusion density; Young Adult; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Aura; Migraine; Foveal avascular zone; Vessel and perfusion density
• ISSN: 0967-5868; 1532-2653; 1532-2653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2024.07.010

•Our study sheds light on the vascular manifestations of migraine. We investigate.•The impact of both MWA and MWOA on the retinal microvasculature characteristics, manifested by an increase of FAZ and a decrease of PD and VD.•The relationship between disease characteristics and microcirculatory ocular impairments.•The evaluation of FAZ, PD and VD using OCT-A has the potential to enhance our comprehension of migraine pathophysiology.•The evaluation of FAZ, PD and VD using OCT-A could be a valuable biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring this condition. Migraine, classified as a neurovascular disease, has been identified as a potential risk factor for ocular vascular complications. Our study aimed to compare retinal vessel density and perfusion density between subjects with migraine and healthy subjects using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). In this cross-sectional case-control study, we enrolled 30 migraine subjects with aura (MWA), 30 migraine subjects without aura (MWOA) and 30 age and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in superficial capillary plexus (SCP), Vessel density (VD) and perfusion density (PD) in SCP and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were assessed in a 3 × 3 mm scan of the macula with the swept source OCT. Results indicated that the FAZ of MWA and MWOA subjects was significantly larger from HC. Also, FAZ of MWA was larger from MWOA. VD and PD in both SCP and DCP were significantly reduced in both MWA and MWOA groups compared to HC. However, VD and PD did not show significant differences among MWA and MWOA. Additionally, the duration of disease was the main determinant of the FAZ. In conclusion, the FAZ in the SCP, VD and PD in the SCP and DCP of the macula were affected in both MWA and MWOA. FAZ, specifically, was increased with the evolution of the disease. These findings might contribute to an increased risk of ocular vascular complications among subjects with migraine and could potentially use OCTA as a biomarker for this population.