Korean J Ophthalmol.  2019 Jun;33(3):238-248. 10.3341/kjo.2018.0130.

Comparison of Retinal Layer Thickness and Vascular Density between Acute and Chronic Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

• Oh J
• Ahn J

• KMID: 2448863
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2018.0130

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare retinal layer thickness and chorioretinal vascular density (VD) between acute and chronic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
METHODS
This study included patients with BRVO. The VD of the superficial capillary plexus (VDs), the VD of the deep capillary plexus (VDd), and VD of the choriocapillaris were obtained using optical coherence tomography angiography. Acute and chronic BRVO data were compared to assess differences between the involved and uninvolved areas.
RESULTS
We included 17 eyes with acute BRVO and 23 eyes with chronic BRVO. The VDs in the involved area were not significantly different between the involved area and in the uninvolved area in acute BRVO (p = 0.551). However, the difference was significant in chronic BRVO (p = 0.013). The VDd in the involved area was lower than in the uninvolved area in both acute and chronic BRVO (p = 0.020, p = 0.003, respectively). In addition, the VD of the choriocapillaris values did not differ significantly between acute and chronic BRVO, or between involved and uninvolved areas. The VDs in the involved area in chronic BRVO were lower than in acute BRVO (p = 0.047), and the VDd did not differ between acute and chronic BRVO in all areas.
CONCLUSIONS
Vascular impaired patterns in the retinal layer differed between acute and chronic BRVO. These results may suggest that vascular change and remodeling develops differently in acute and chronic phases in BRVO.

Keyword

Optical coherence tomography angiography; Retinal layer thickness; Retinal vein occlusion; Vascular density

MeSH Terms

Angiography
Capillaries
Humans
Retinal Vein Occlusion*
Retinal Vein*
Retinaldehyde*
Tomography, Optical Coherence
Retinaldehyde

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A branch retinal vein occlusion case. (A) Fundus photograph. (B) B-scan image of optical coherence tomography shows no edema. (C) En face image of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of the superficial capillary plexus and automatically measured vascular density. (D) En face image of OCTA of the deep capillary plexus and automatically measured vascular density. (E) En face image of OCTA of the choriocapillaris and automatically measured vascular density.

• 

  Fig. 2 A branch retinal vein occlusion with high stromal decorrelation signal. The stromal decorrelation signal (arrows) in optical coherence tomography angiography images (A–C) of the superficial capillary plexus (A,D) and deep capillary plexus (B,E) was measured as high vascular density when measured automatically (D–F). The vascular density of the choriocapillaris (C,F) was low within the wide capillary nonperfusion area of the superficial and deep capillary plexus (arrowheads).

• 

  Fig. 3 Chorioretinal thicknesses and vascular densities of parafoveal areas. (A) Chorioretinal thicknesses. The ganglion cell layer to inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thickness in the involved area of chronic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) was thinner than that of the uninvolved area of chronic BRVO or the involved area of acute BRVO. (B) Vascular densities. The vascular density of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) in the involved area of chronic BRVO was lower than that of the uninvolved area of chronic BRVO or the involved area of acute BRVO. The vascular density of the deep capillary plexus (DCP) in the involved area of acute and chronic BRVO was lower than that of the uninvolved area. The chorioretinal thicknesses and vascular densities that were statistically significantly different are denoted with asterisks. CC = choriocapillaris.

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