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Retinal microvascular metrics in untreated essential hypertensives using optical coherence tomography angiography

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To quantify early changes of macular microvascular density, complexity, and peripapillary vessel caliber in hypertension using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods

Hypertension (137 eyes) and healthy eyes (79 eyes) as control were involved in this prospective observational study. Indices of the microcirculation included vessel density (VD), skeleton density (SD), vessel diameter index (VDI), fractal dimension (FD) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) of superficial retinal layer (SRL) and deep retinal layer (DRL), and peripapillary vessel calibers. The correlation of these indices with mean arterial pressure (MAP) and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) was analyzed.

Results

Mean VD of DRL, SD of SRL and DRL, and FD of SRL and DRL were significantly reduced in the macula of hypertensive eyes (all P < 0.01). Meanwhile, hypertensive eyes had margin results of narrower peripapillary arteriolar caliber (P = 0.04). No significant finding was demonstrated on VD of SRL, VDI and FAZ of SRL and DRL, peripapillary total vascular caliber, and peripapillary venal caliber (all P > 0.05). SD and VD of the DRL correlated negatively with MAP (both R = − 0.152, P = 0.03).

Conclusion

OCTA algorithms may provide an additional inexpensive tool to aid in the preclinical assessment of hypertensive subject.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the subjects who participated in the study. We gratefully acknowledge those who helped us to prepare this research.

Funding

This study was funded by Tai’an science and technology development plan (grant number 2019NS175).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107, Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, 250012, China

    Qian Xu, Hongyi Sun, Xin Huang & Yi Qu

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, The Central Hospital of Taian, No. 29, Longtan Road, Taian, 271000, Shandong, China

    Qian Xu

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  1. Qian Xu
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Correspondence to Yi Qu.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Qilu Hospital and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Xu, Q., Sun, H., Huang, X. et al. Retinal microvascular metrics in untreated essential hypertensives using optical coherence tomography angiography. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 259, 395–403 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-020-04714-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-020-04714-8

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