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Optical coherence tomography angiography findings in Huntington’s disease

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Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the retinal and choriocapillaris vascular networks in macular region and the central choroidal thickness (CCT) in patients affected by Huntington disease (HD), using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain OCT (EDI SD-OCT).

Methods

We assessed the vessel density (VD) in superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) using OCTA, while CCT was measured by EDI SD-OCT.

Results

Sixteen HD patients (32 eyes) and thirteen healthy controls (26 eyes) were enrolled in this prospective study. No significant difference in retinal and choriocapillaris VD was found between HD patients and controls while CCT turned to be thinner in patients respect to controls. There were no significant relationships between OCTA findings and neurological parameters.

Conclusion

The changes in choroidal structure provide useful information regarding the possible neurovascular involvement in the physiopathology of HD. Choroidal vascular network could be a useful parameter to evaluate the vascular impairment that occurs in this neurodegenerative disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80133, Naples, Italy

    Laura Giovanna Di Maio, Daniela Montorio, Silvio Peluso, Elena Salvatore & Giuseppe De Michele

  2. Eye Clinic, Public Health Department, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Pasquale Dolce & Gilda Cennamo

Authors
  1. Laura Giovanna Di Maio
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  2. Daniela Montorio
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  3. Silvio Peluso
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  4. Pasquale Dolce
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  5. Elena Salvatore
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  6. Giuseppe De Michele
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  7. Gilda Cennamo
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Giuseppe De Michele, Gilda Cennamo

Methodology: Gilda Cennamo, Daniela Montorio, Laura Giovanna Di Maio

Formal analysis and investigation: Laura Giovanna Di Maio, Daniela Montorio, Pasquale Dolce, Elena Salvatore

Writing—original draft preparation: Daniela Montorio, Silvio Peluso

Writing—review and editing: Daniela Montorio

Supervision: Giuseppe De Michele, Gilda Cennamo.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniela Montorio.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study002E.

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Di Maio, L.G., Montorio, D., Peluso, S. et al. Optical coherence tomography angiography findings in Huntington’s disease. Neurol Sci 42, 995–1001 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04611-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-020-04611-2

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