Analysis of Foveal Microvascular Structures Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Age-stratified Healthy Koreans

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate foveal avascular zone (FAZ) microvascular structural changes in healthy Korean subjects stratified by age using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: Eighty eyes of 43 healthy volunteer subjects who had 20/20 or better best corrected visual acuity without other ocular or systemic disease except vitreous floaters and dry eye syndrome were enrolled and stratified by age group. To measure FAZ size and vascular density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), OCTA (DRI OCT Triton, Swept Source OCT, Topcon, Tokyo, Japan) scans were performed over fovea-centered 3 × 3 mm 2 regions, and then compared with central macular thickness (CMT) and subfoveal choroidal thickness.Results: Mean age of the participants was 46.4 ± 16.1 (20-78). The SCP and DCP FAZ sizes were 0.32 ± 0.11 mm 2 and 0.41 ± 0.14 mm 2 , respectively. There was a significant difference by age group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), respectively. The FAZ VD for SCP and DCP was 28.96 ± 3.05% and 33.15 ± 3.64%, respectively. There was no difference between age groups (p = 0.118, p = 0.637). Univariate and multiple linear regression analysis showed that the FAZ size of SCP and DCP was significantly correlated with age (p = 0.039, p = 0.002) and CMT (p = 0.007, p = 0.013), respectively. The SCP and DCP FAZ size were positively correlated with age (R 2 = 0.279, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.344, p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with CMT (R 2 = 0.354, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.285, p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusions:The FAZ size of SCP and DCP increased with age and were negatively correlated with CMT. These results suggest that consideration of age and CMT is important when performing the clinical evaluation of FAZ size in healthy subjects.

Does PLEX® Elite 9000 OCT Identify and Characterize Most Posterior Pole Lesions in Highly Myopic Patients?

“…When comparing our results with normal subjects, an increase in SPFAZ was observed across studies [55][56][57][58][59]. DPFAZ shows greater heterogeneity, with some studies showing smaller values [56,58,59], while others reported higher values [55,57]. These results indicate a change in the FAZ area of myopes compared to healthy subjects, which is probably caused by the elongation of the ocular layers.…”

“…We could not analyze the FAZ in all of the eyes due to segmentation errors, which made measurement difficult. When comparing our results with normal subjects, an increase in SPFAZ was observed across studies [55][56][57][58][59]. DPFAZ shows greater heterogeneity, with some studies showing smaller values [56,58,59], while others reported higher values [55,57].…”

Macular Microvasculature Features of the Eyes of Healthy Korean Children Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

“…12 이러한 빛간섭단층혈관조영술 을 이용한 연구를 하기 위해서는 인종, 성별, 나이 등에 따 른 정상 수치에 대한 자료가 필요한데, 국내에서는 정상 성 인을 대상으로 한 연구는 있지만,[13][14][15] 한국 정상 소아를 대 상으로 시행한 표층 및 심부모세혈관총의 혈관밀도와 망막 중심오목무혈관부위 넓이에 관한 연구는 없는 실정이다. 을 받아(승인 번호: DFE21ORIO104) 진행되었다.…”