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. 2020 Apr 22;20(1):165.
doi: 10.1186/s12886-020-01429-6.

A study analyzing macular microvasculature features after vitrectomy using OCT angiography in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane

Jianbo Mao  1 , Jimeng Lao  1 , Chenyi Liu  2 , Caiyun Zhang  1 , Yiqi Chen  1 , Jiwei Tao  1 , Lijun Shen  3
Affiliations

A study analyzing macular microvasculature features after vitrectomy using OCT angiography in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane

Jianbo Mao et al. BMC Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Background: To evaluate postoperative changes in retinal capillary plexus and to assess contributing factors in postoperative visual improvement using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) post membrane removal.

Methods: Patients scheduled for vitrectomy and membrane peel for iERM were enrolled. 35 subjects were included for this study. OCT-A was used to measure the FAZ related parameters and the superficial and deep capillary plexus layers using 3 mm × 3 mm scans. Measurements were taken before surgery and at every post-surgical follow-up. The unaffected fellow eyes were used as controls. Evaluated factors included: BCVA, vessel density (VD) and retinal thickness (RT) in five regions, FAZ area, FAZ perimeter (PERIM), acircularity index (AI) and foveal vessel density (FD).

Results: Compared with the control group, the foveal vessel density (FVD) in superficial capillary plexus (SCP) was greater in the epi-retinal membrane group (P < 0.0001), whereas both groups had comparable parafoveal vessel density (PRVD) in SCP (p > 0.05). After surgery there was a reduction in the PRVD in SCP. The FVD in DCP increased and the PRVD in DCP decreased at baseline (p < 0.001). After surgery there was an increase in PRVD in DCP. By 6 months post-op, the PRVD had no statistically significant difference compared with the control group (p > 0.05). D-value of LogMAR BCVA was positively correlated with pre-op LogMAR BCVA (p < 0.0001), FVD in SCP (p < 0.001). It was negatively correlated with FAZ area (P < 0.001) and PERIM (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Vitrectomy and membrane removal led to the decrease of VD in SCP and the increase of PRVD in DCP. Patients with a more severe iERM may receive greater visual improvement with surgery.

Trial registration: Trial registration number (TRN) and date of registration. ChiCTR2000031289, retrospectively registered, 2020.03.26.

Keywords: Idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane; Macular microvasculature features; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Retinal thickness; Vitrectomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pre- and post-op OCT-A images in a patient with iERM in the left eye
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Foveal and parafoveal VD in SCP. Foveal (left) and parafoveal (right) vessel density (VD) in superficial capillary plexus (SCP) in eyes with iERM (preoperative, 1-month postoperative, 3-month postoperative, 6-month postoperative) and in the fellow eyes. * p < 0.05 vs the preoperative
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Foveal and parafoveal VD in DCP. Foveal (left) and parafoveal (right) vessel density (VD) in deep capillary plexus (DCP) in eyes with iERM (preoperative, 1-month postoperative, 3-month postoperative, 6-month postoperative) and in the fellow eyes. * p < 0.05 vs the preoperative
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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