Comparison of retinochoroidal microvascular circulation in menstrual and postmenopausal periods using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography

ÇETİNKAYA YAPRAK A., Erkan Pota Ç.

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, cilt.261, sa.2, ss.367-373, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 261 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s00417-022-05807-2
  • Dergi Adı: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.367-373
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Choroidal microvasculature, Menstrual period, Postmenopausal period, Retinal microvasculature, SS-OCTA
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Purpose: We aimed to examine the possible effects of the postmenopausal period on retinal and choroidal microvascular circulation using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 45 eyes of 45 subjects in menstrual group and 40 eyes of 40 subjects in postmenopausal group. SS-OCTA was used for the assessment of vessel density (VD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), choroidal thickness (CT), choriocapillaris VD, central macular thickness (CMT), nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL), and ganglion cell layer (GCL) measurements. Result: The VDs of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) measurements were similar in both group. FAZ area was wider in postmenopausal group (0.305 mm2 (range, 0.212–0.498 mm2)) compared to menstrual group (0.271 mm2 (range, 0.131–0.464 mm2)) (p = 0.013). Choriocapillaris VD was significantly lower in postmenopausal group (p = 0.049). CT was thicker in the postmenopausal group, but with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.066). Central macular thickness, RNFL, and GCL were similar in both groups. Conclusion: This is the first study in the literature to evaluate the retinochoroidal microcirculation in the menstrual and postmenopausal periods with SS-OCTA. We observed an increase in both superficial and deep FAZ area and a decrease in choroidal blood flow in the postmenopausal period. We think that this enlargement in the FAZ area may be related to the decreased amount of estrogen. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]