Assessment of Macular Capillary Perfusion by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography on Quiescent Unilateral Anterior Pediatric Uveitis

Abstract

Purpose: Using spectral domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA) to evaluate tomographic and microvascular parameters in the macula in quiescent unilateral anterior pediatric uveitis (APU) patients.Methods: Forty-two eyes of 21 patients diagnosed with unilateral APU and 21 eyes of 21 normal controls (NC) were included in this study. 6*6 mm macular scanning mode of SD-OCTA was used for all subjects. The central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), vascular density (VD) of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and the deep capillary plexus (DCP), the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, and choriocapillary flow density (CFD) were analyzed and compared among affected, fellow, and NC eyes. Correlation analysis were used to evaluate the potential correlating factors with CFD.Results: DCP VD and CFD were significantly lower in quiescent affected eyes as compared to fellow and NCs eyes (DCP VD both p<0.001; CDF1.0: p=0.012 and p=0.003; CDF1.5: p=0.015 and p=0.006; CDF3.0: p=0.036 and p=0.010, respectively). SCP VD, DCP VD and CMT were significantly lower in the fellow eyes as compared to NC eyes (p=0.021; p<0.001; p=0.037, respectively); CFD was negatively correlated with FAZ and CMT in affected eyes and fellow eyes. No significant differences were detected in FAZ among the 3 groups (p > .05).Conclusions: As compared to NC eyes, both retinal and choroidal microvasculature were impaired in eyes with quiescent APU; retinal microvasculature in unaffected fellow eyes of unilateral APU was also impaired. OCTA is a useful technology for detection of subclinical microvascular changes in APU and may be useful as an additional prognostic tool.