Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013:7:39-45.
doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S37185. Epub 2012 Dec 31.

Relationship between grades of macular perfusion and foveal thickness in branch retinal vein occlusion

Susumu Sakimoto  1 , Motohiro Kamei, Mihoko Suzuki, Shinsaku Yano, Nagakazu Matsumura, Hirokazu Sakaguchi, Fumi Gomi, Kohji Nishida
Affiliations

Relationship between grades of macular perfusion and foveal thickness in branch retinal vein occlusion

Susumu Sakimoto et al. Clin Ophthalmol. 2013.

Abstract

Background: To study the relationship between retinal perfusion around the macula and the foveal thickness in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Methods: Seventy-four eyes of 74 consecutive patients with BRVO were enrolled. We developed a new grading system to evaluate the status of retinal perfusion around the macula in three grades: full perfusion area (FPA), partial perfusion area (PPA), and nonperfusion area (NPA), using fluorescein angiography. The correlation was assessed between these grades and the central foveal thickness (CFT) measured by optical coherence tomography. We also determined the area with the closest correlation between the perfusion status and the foveal thickness by comparing the correlation coefficient in areas of 1-, 2-, and 3-disc diameter (DD) horizontal hemicircles centered at the fovea. The correlation was determined between the extent of each perfusion grade and CFT.

Results: We found a significant negative correlation between the CFT and the FPA (r = 0.31, P = 0.006) and a significant positive correlation between the CFT and the PPA (r = 0.45, P < 0.001) in the three areas. The most significant correlations were found in the 2-DD area. Interestingly, the NPA has not correlated with the foveal thickness in any areas.

Conclusion: The areas of partial but not complete capillary loss seem to be responsible for the macular edema associated with BRVO. Treatments targeting leakage from the dilated capillaries in the PPA should be investigated.

Keywords: branch retinal vein occlusion; foveal thickness; macular edema; macular perfusion.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Fluorescent angiogram of branch retinal vein occlusion that contains partial perfusion areas showing clusters of small fragmented areas of hypofluorescence with dilation and irregular capillary network patterns (microcapillary loss between the remaining dilated capillaries). (B) Fluorescent angiogram shows the perfusion status around the macula. Notes: In this study, the hemicircular area surrounded by the white dotted line was assessed (2-disc diameter in this photograph). Assessments were repeated in 1-, 2-, and 3-disc diameter hemicircular areas. Areas surrounded by green, yellow, and red borders represent the full perfusion area, partial perfusion area, and nonperfusion area, respectively.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Inverse correlation between central foveal thickness and the proportions of the full perfusion area. The plots show central foveal thickness and percentages of the full perfusion area in (A) the 1-disc diameter (r = 0.30, P = 0.011), (B) the 2-disc diameter (r = 0.31, P = 0.006), and (C) the 3-disc diameter (r = 0.24, P = 0.040) areas.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Correlation between central foveal thickness and percentage of the partial perfusion area. The plots show the central foveal thickness and the percentages of the partial perfusion area in (A) the 1-disc diameter (r = 0.39, P = 0.001), (B) the 2-disc diameter (r = 0.45, P < 0.001), and (C) the 3-disc diameter (r = 0.35, P = 0.002) areas.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Central foveal thickness is not associated with the percentage of the nonperfusion area. The plots show central foveal thickness and the percentages of the nonperfusion area in (A) the 1-disc diameter (r = 0.11, P = 0.361), (B) the 2-disc diameter (r = 0.18, P = 0.120), and (C) the 3-disc diameter (r = 0.14, P = 0.23) areas.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Branch Vein Occlusion Study Group. Argon laser scatter photocoagulation for prevention of neovascularization and vitreous hemorrhage in branch vein occlusion: a randomized clinical trial. Arch Ophthalmol. 1986;104(1):34–41. - PubMed
    1. Shilling JS, Jones CA. Retinal branch vein occlusion: a study of argon laser photocoagulation in the treatment of macular oedema. Br J Ophthalmol. 1984;68(3):196–198. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rogers SL, McIntosh RL, Lim L, et al. Natural history of branch retinal vein occlusion: an evidence-based systematic review. Ophthalmology. 2010;117(6):1094–1101. - PubMed
    1. Branch Vein Occlusion Study Group. Argon laser photocoagulation for macular edema in branch vein occlusion. Am J Ophthalmol. 1984;98(3):271–282. - PubMed
    1. Michels RG, Gass JD. The natural course of retinal branch vein obstruction. Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1974;78(2):166–177. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources