Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze choroidal and retinal vascular alterations of both the macula and midperiphery areas in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection complicated with pneumonia within 30 days from discharge. Methods: A total of 46 eyes of 23 subjects with a history o...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/6/1114 |
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| author | Rossella D’Aloisio Maria Ludovica Ruggeri Giada D’Onofrio Federico Formenti Matteo Gironi Marta Di Nicola Annamaria Porreca Lisa Toto Rodolfo Mastropasqua |
| author_facet | Rossella D’Aloisio Maria Ludovica Ruggeri Giada D’Onofrio Federico Formenti Matteo Gironi Marta Di Nicola Annamaria Porreca Lisa Toto Rodolfo Mastropasqua |
| author_sort | Rossella D’Aloisio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze choroidal and retinal vascular alterations of both the macula and midperiphery areas in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection complicated with pneumonia within 30 days from discharge. Methods: A total of 46 eyes of 23 subjects with a history of symptomatic COVID-19 infection and recent hospitalization for pneumonia were enrolled in this observational study. Patients had not been previously vaccinated against COVID-19. A group of patients homogenous for age and sex was enrolled as controls. Microvascular retinal and choroidal features of the enrolled patients were studied with widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). Perfusion parameters in terms of the vessel density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) and the choroidal vascularity index (CVI) on enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode OCT scans were analyzed. Results: Our cohort of patients showed a trend of reduction in VD, significantly in the SCP VD of the superior and inferior midperiphery sectors, whereas the CVI did not show significant differences between the cases and controls. Moreover, a positive correlation between CVI and vessel density in the deep capillary plexus in the macular area (VD-DCP-MAC) was found. Conclusion: The systemic disease due to COVID-19 can also involve the retina and choroid with multiple mechanisms: ischemic and inflammatory. Our study showed changes in perfusion occurring in the eyes of patients with a recent hospitalization for COVID-19 complicated with pneumonia and without any possible ocular effect due to the vaccines. There is still the need to better comprise how long COVID-19 actually affects vascular changes in the eye. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:42:09Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:42:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd59b3cf85094a09ac68df1f6fda9b412023-11-17T10:34:33ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-03-01136111410.3390/diagnostics13061114Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield ImagingRossella D’Aloisio0Maria Ludovica Ruggeri1Giada D’Onofrio2Federico Formenti3Matteo Gironi4Marta Di Nicola5Annamaria Porreca6Lisa Toto7Rodolfo Mastropasqua8Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyOphthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyOphthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyOphthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyOphthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Laboratory of Biostatistics, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Laboratory of Biostatistics, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyOphthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyOphthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, ItalyPurpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze choroidal and retinal vascular alterations of both the macula and midperiphery areas in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection complicated with pneumonia within 30 days from discharge. Methods: A total of 46 eyes of 23 subjects with a history of symptomatic COVID-19 infection and recent hospitalization for pneumonia were enrolled in this observational study. Patients had not been previously vaccinated against COVID-19. A group of patients homogenous for age and sex was enrolled as controls. Microvascular retinal and choroidal features of the enrolled patients were studied with widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). Perfusion parameters in terms of the vessel density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) and the choroidal vascularity index (CVI) on enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode OCT scans were analyzed. Results: Our cohort of patients showed a trend of reduction in VD, significantly in the SCP VD of the superior and inferior midperiphery sectors, whereas the CVI did not show significant differences between the cases and controls. Moreover, a positive correlation between CVI and vessel density in the deep capillary plexus in the macular area (VD-DCP-MAC) was found. Conclusion: The systemic disease due to COVID-19 can also involve the retina and choroid with multiple mechanisms: ischemic and inflammatory. Our study showed changes in perfusion occurring in the eyes of patients with a recent hospitalization for COVID-19 complicated with pneumonia and without any possible ocular effect due to the vaccines. There is still the need to better comprise how long COVID-19 actually affects vascular changes in the eye.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/6/1114COVID-19widefield OCT-Achoroidal vascularity indexvessel density |
| spellingShingle | Rossella D’Aloisio Maria Ludovica Ruggeri Giada D’Onofrio Federico Formenti Matteo Gironi Marta Di Nicola Annamaria Porreca Lisa Toto Rodolfo Mastropasqua Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging Diagnostics COVID-19 widefield OCT-A choroidal vascularity index vessel density |
| title | Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging |
| title_full | Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging |
| title_fullStr | Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging |
| title_short | Choroidal and Retinal Vascular Findings in Patients with COVID-19 Complicated with Pneumonia: Widefield Imaging |
| title_sort | choroidal and retinal vascular findings in patients with covid 19 complicated with pneumonia widefield imaging |
| topic | COVID-19 widefield OCT-A choroidal vascularity index vessel density |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/6/1114 |
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