Author: Cyrine Lagneb
Co-authors: Racem Choura, Rahma Saidane, Marwa Anane, Ahmed Arfaoui, Afef Maalej, Asma Khallouli
Abstract
PurposeTo assess the peripapillary microvasculature changes in patients recovered from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)
Methods
This cross-sectional study enrolled twenty patients recovered from COVID-19 and twenty age-matched healthy eyes as controls. All subjects underwent comprehensive ocular examination. One eye per participant was evaluated Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography and OCTangiography scans were performed using AngioVue software of the OptovueRTVue XR Avanti.A 4.5 × 4.5 mm images for the Radial Peripapillary Capillaries (RPC): whole image (wi), inside disc (id) and peripapillary (pp) were evaluated
Results
Twenty patients with mean age of 41.5 ± 10.5 years and 20 healthy normal controls (10 females, 45.4%) with a mean age of 36.7 ± 7.3 years were enrolled in the study. There was no difference regarding the age (p = 0.8). Female and male distribution in two groups were same (p = 0.219). All patients were symptom-free for at least two weeks, and the mean recovery time interval between becoming symptom free and OCTA image acquisition was 26 ± 3 days. Whole image (51.76 ± 1.92 vs 53.14 ± 2.31; P = 0.032) and peripapillary VD (48.54 ± 2.94 vs 53.21 ± 4.12; P < 0.001 were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients, compared with normal control. Inside disc VD in the COVID-19 group (49.43 ± 4.96) was higher than in the control group (45.46 ± 6.22) which was statistically significant (P = 0.021).
Conclusion
These findings may indicate potential papillary ischemic changes. Moreover, increase in inside disc VD may be an indicator of optic nerve head hyperemia and edema.
Financial Disclosure: No.
