2Professor, M.D., Izmir Katip Celebi University Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir, Turkey
3Assoc. Professor M.D., Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara, Turkey
4M.D., Izmir Katip Celebi University Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir, Turkey
5Assoc. Professor, Ph.D. Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Izmir, Turkey DOI : :10.37845/ret.vit.2020.29.23 Purpose: To compare the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) fi ndings of Behçet uveitis (BU) patients with healthy controls and to evaluate their correlation with the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).
Methods: We conducted a thorough ophthalmic examination and OCTA on 20 BU patients and 26 control subjects. Optic nerve head (ONH) flow and non-flow areas, capillary vessel density (CVD) at the optic disc, superfi cial capillary plexus (SCP) flow and non-flow areas (FAZ), outer retina and choriocapillaris (CC) flow areas, and SCP thickness at the parafoveal region were measured using OCTA.
Results: We found signifi cantly lower ONH flow area (1.57±0.17 vs. 1.68±0.08 mm2) and CVD at the optic disc (OD)-centered 4.5x4.5 mm2 area (53.99±4.94 vs. 58.13±1.77%) (p<0.05) but higher ONH non-flow area (0.44±0.23 vs. 0.27±0.10 mm2, p=0.040) in BU patients compared to the controls. There was no signifi cant difference in SCP flow and non-flow areas (FAZ), outer retina and CC fl ow areas and parafoveal SCP thickness between the two groups (p>0.05). There was a negative correlation between BCVA (logMAR) and the ONH flow area (r= -0.363, p=0.049), SCP fl ow area (r= -0.703, p<0.001), parafoveal SCP thickness (r= -0.348, p=0.035) and CVD in the OD-centered area (r= -0.644, p=0.002) in BU patients.
Conclusion: While there were no micro-vascular changes at the parafoveal region. The CC, ONH-related parameters such as decreased ONH flow area and CVD at the optic disc and increased ONH non-flow area were observed regardless of disease duration and visual acuity in BU patients.
Keywords : Behçet uveitis, Optic nerve head, Optical coherence tomography angiography