Optical coherence tomography angiography in preterm-born children with retinopathy of prematurity

• Published in: Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology Vol. 259; no. 8; pp. 2131 - 2137
• Main Authors: Vinekar, Anand, Sinha, Shivani, Mangalesh, Shwetha, Jayadev, Chaitra, Shetty, Bhujang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acuity; Angiography; Birth weight; Children; Eye; Fluorescein Angiography; Fovea Centralis; Fundus Oculi; Gestational age; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Medical imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Ophthalmology; Retina; Retinal Disorders; Retinal Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Retinopathy; Retinopathy of Prematurity - diagnosis; Retrospective Studies; Tomography; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Retinopathy of prematurity; Deep capillary plexus; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Superficial capillary plexus; Foveal avascular zone
• ISSN: 0721-832X; 1435-702X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00417-021-05090-7

Purpose To describe the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and vessel density (VD) in the superficial and deep capillary plexus in children with a history of prematurity on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and their correlation with gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW). Methods We enrolled 81 preterm- and eight term-born children in this prospective observational study. The Optovue RTVue AVANTI (Optovue Inc., Fremont, CA) was used to procure the OCTA images. The 3 × 3 mm scan protocol centered on the fovea and the central 1 mm of the grid along with the FAZ of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) was acquired. Results The mean SCP-VD was comparable between the preterms and term controls ( p = 0.315) in the central fovea (1-mm grid). However, the SCP-VD of the 3-mm grid was lower in the preterms born without ROP, with type 1 ROP, and with type 2 ROP (47.61, 47.90, and 48.82 respectively) compared to that in the term group (51.38; p = 0.031). The FAZ in the SCP ( p = 0.003) and DCP ( p = 0.003) was significantly smaller in the preterms compared to that in the controls. Based on the GA sub-analysis, the FAZ was significantly smaller in the SCP and DCP of preterms born < 31 weeks and > 31 weeks GA ( p < 0.000, p < 0.035, respectively). Based on the BW, the difference between the FAZ in the SCP ( p = 0.002) and DCP ( p = 0.003) was significant. There was no association between the visual acuity and FAZ. Conclusion Optical coherence tomography angiography findings in this study show an altered foveal morphology and vascularity in preterms with and without ROP.