Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Risling, S.
Applying optical coherence tomography angiography to evaluate potential retinal vascular alterations in pregnant women both with and without diabetes mellitus
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2024. pp. 68
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Posch-Pertl Laura
- Wedrich Andreas
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Introduction. Pregnancy is considered a period of physiological and hemodynamic changes with potentially altering effects on the vascular system of the eye. It is known that pregnancy may promote the progression of diabetic retinopathy in the presence of diabetes mellitus. The aim of this pilot study is to use optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to perform a detailed examination of retinal vessels in order to assess the effects of pregnancy, preexisting diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes mellitus on retinal capillary plexus density. Methods. A total number of 20 pregnant, including 12 women with preexisting diabetes mellitus (PexD), 5 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and 3 healthy pregnant women, were compared to 19 healthy non-pregnant women by using OCTA over two different times of examination throughout pregnancy. The vessel density of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), the deep capillary plexus (DCP), and the radial peripapillary capillary plexus (RPCP), as well as the size of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were examined. Results. In descriptive terms, the vessel density of the SCP increased throughout pregnancy across all groups. Regarding the whole macula, the SCP vessel density increased by an absolute value of 0.40% in healthy pregnant women, by 0.53% in women with PexD and by 0.29% in the control group. In line with these results, the DCP vessel density increased across all groups, with a mean increase of 7.17% within the healthy pregnant women, of 1.92% within the women with PexD and of 0.71% within the healthy controls. However, while no change in vessel density was observed in the healthy pregnant women regarding the RPCP vessel density, a decrease of -0.50% in the pregnant women with PexD and -0.42% in the healthy non-pregnant women was observed. Discussion. Regarding the retinal plexus vessel density, the current data indicates a trend which suggests that there is an increase in vessel density during pregnancy. Furthermore, these changes appear to differ between healthy pregnant women and pregnant diabetics. To assess these differences more precisely, further evaluations are necessary in the future, which will be carried out as part of the ongoing study project.