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Wei X, Iao WC, Zhang Y, Lin Z, Lin H. Retinal Microvasculature Causally Affects the Brain Cortical Structure: A Mendelian Randomization Study. OPHTHALMOLOGY SCIENCE 2024; 4:100465. [PMID: 39149712 PMCID: PMC11324828 DOI: 10.1016/j.xops.2024.100465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Purpose To reveal the causality between retinal vascular density (VD), fractal dimension (FD), and brain cortex structure using Mendelian randomization (MR). Design Cross-sectional study. Participants Genome-wide association studies of VD and FD involving 54 813 participants from the United Kingdom Biobank were used. The brain cortical features, including the cortical thickness (TH) and surface area (SA), were extracted from 51 665 patients across 60 cohorts. Surface area and TH were measured globally and in 34 functional regions using magnetic resonance imaging. Methods Bidirectional univariable MR (UVMR) was used to detect the causality between FD, VD, and brain cortex structure. Multivariable MR (MVMR) was used to adjust for confounding factors, including body mass index and blood pressure. Main Outcome Measures The global and regional measurements of brain cortical SA and TH. Results At the global level, higher VD is related to decreased TH (β = -0.0140 mm, 95% confidence interval: -0.0269 mm to -0.0011 mm, P = 0.0339). At the functional level, retinal FD is related to the TH of banks of the superior temporal sulcus and transverse temporal region without global weighted, as well as the SA of the posterior cingulate after adjustment. Vascular density is correlated with the SA of subregions of the frontal lobe and temporal lobe, in addition to the TH of the inferior temporal, entorhinal, and pars opercularis regions in both UVMR and MVMR. Bidirectional MR studies showed a causation between the SA of the parahippocampal and cauda middle frontal gyrus and retinal VD. No pleiotropy was detected. Conclusions Fractal dimension and VD causally influence the cortical structure and vice versa, indicating that the retinal microvasculature may serve as a biomarker for cortex structural changes. Our study provides insights into utilizing noninvasive fundus images to predict cortical structural deteriorations and neuropsychiatric disorders. Financial Disclosures The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wai Cheng Iao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zijie Lin
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haotian Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Hainan Eye Hospital and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Haikou, Hainan, China
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Quan X, Ou X, Gao L, Yin W, Hou G, Zhang H. SCINet: A Segmentation and Classification Interaction CNN Method for Arteriosclerotic Retinopathy Grading. Interdiscip Sci 2024:10.1007/s12539-024-00650-x. [PMID: 39222258 DOI: 10.1007/s12539-024-00650-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
As a common disease, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases pose a great harm threat to human wellness. Even using advanced and comprehensive treatment methods, there is still a high mortality rate. Arteriosclerosis, as an important factor reflecting the severity of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, is imperative to detect the arteriosclerotic retinopathy. However, the detection of arteriosclerosis retinopathy requires expensive and time-consuming manual evaluation, while end-to-end deep learning detection methods also need interpretable design to high light task-related features. Considering the importance of automatic arteriosclerotic retinopathy grading, we propose a segmentation and classification interaction network (SCINet). We propose a segmentation and classification interaction architecture for grading arteriosclerotic retinopathy. After IterNet is used to segment retinal vessel from original fundus images, the backbone feature extractor roughly extracts features from the segmented and original fundus arteriosclerosis images and further enhances them through the vessel aware module. The last classifier module generates fundus arteriosclerosis grading results. Specifically, the vessel aware module is designed to highlight the important areal vessel features segmented from original images by attention mechanism, thereby achieving information interaction. The attention mechanism selectively learns the vessel features of segmentation region information under the proposed interactive architecture, which leads to reweighting the extracted features and enhances significant feature information. Extensive experiments have confirmed the effect of our model. SCINet has the best performance on the task of arteriosclerotic retinopathy grading. Additionally, the CNN method is scalable to similar tasks by incorporating segmented images as auxiliary information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiongwen Quan
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Engineering Research Center of Trusted Behavior Intelligence, Ministry of Education, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300000, China
| | - Xingyuan Ou
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Engineering Research Center of Trusted Behavior Intelligence, Ministry of Education, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300000, China
| | - Li Gao
- Ophthalmology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin, 300000, China
| | - Wenya Yin
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Engineering Research Center of Trusted Behavior Intelligence, Ministry of Education, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300000, China
| | - Guangyao Hou
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Engineering Research Center of Trusted Behavior Intelligence, Ministry of Education, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300000, China
| | - Han Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Engineering Research Center of Trusted Behavior Intelligence, Ministry of Education, College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300000, China.
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Jiang X, Dong L, Luo L, Zhou D, Ling S, Li D. Artificial Intelligence-based quantitative evaluation of retinal vascular parameters in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. Endocrine 2024; 85:287-294. [PMID: 38315295 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03561-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) may result in increased metabolism and abnormalities in microcirculation. The fractal dimension (Df) of retinal vessels has been shown to be related to the pathology of a number of ophthalmic disorders, but it hasn't been investigated in TAO. METHODS We analyzed 1078 participants aged 18 to 72 (548 healthy volunteers and 530 TAO). Images were captured using a non-mydriatic 45-degree fundus camera. Baseline retinal characteristics, such as vessel width, tortuosity, and Df were measured using semiautomated software from fundus images. The average retinal parameters were compared between the two groups. The receiver operation curve (ROC) was used to assess the diagnostic efficacy of various retinal vascular parameters for TAO. RESULTS Despite controlling for potential confounding variables, Df, vessel width, and tortuosity significantly increased in TAO compared to healthy volunteers. Compared to active TAO, patients in the inactive phase had a larger retinal venous caliber (p < 0.05), but there was no difference in Df or arterial caliber. Moderate and severe cases had a higher Df compared with mild cases (EUGOGO guidelines). The area under the ROC for Df, tortuosity, and vascular caliber in the diagnosis of TAO was 0.904 (95% CI: 0.884-0.924), 0.638 (95% CI: 0.598-0.679), and 0.617 (95% CI: 0.576-0.658), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Due to its accessibility, affordability, and non-invasive nature, retinal vascular Df may serve as a surrogate marker for TAO and might be used to identify severe cases. With relatively high diagnostic performance, the Df is of some utility for the detection of TAO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Jiang
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Dong
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Dengji Zhou
- EVision Technology (Beijing) Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Saiguang Ling
- EVision Technology (Beijing) Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Dongmei Li
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing, China.
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Rickels KL, Ji M, Shakarchi A, Georgiou M, Uwaydat SH, Sallam AB. Fractal Changes of the Retinal Microvasculature in Birdshot Chorioretinopathy. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024:1-6. [PMID: 39037357 DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20240528-02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Retinal vascular disorders are associated with lower fractal dimension (FD). We analyzed FD in birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR). PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study. We performed optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and analyzed FD of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) using ImageJ. For each vascular layer, we analyzed the presence of BSCR, subjects' age, sex, and presence of diabetes mellitus to determine which may predict lower FD. RESULTS We compared 28 eyes (14 patients) with BSCR to 34 control eyes (17 patients). Mean FD of BSCR was lower in SCP (1.584 [± 0.126] vs 1.706 [± 0.118], P < 0.001), DCP (1.637 [± 0.134] vs 1.780 [± 0.096], P < 0.001), and CC (1.884 [± 0.063] vs 1.917 [± 0.047], P = 0.036). FD of SCP was lower per increasing year (0.005 [P = 0.014]). Male patients had lower FD-DCP (0.101 [P = 0.043]). CONCLUSION In BSCR, fractal analysis showed significant involvement of the SCP, DCP, and to a lesser extent the CC. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:XX-XX.].
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Egle M, Deal JA, Walker KA, Wong DF, Sharrett AR, Gottesman RF. Association between retinal microvascular abnormalities and late-life brain amyloid-β deposition: the ARIC-PET study. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:100. [PMID: 38711107 PMCID: PMC11071225 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01461-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retinal microvascular signs are accessible measures of early alterations in microvascular dysregulation and have been associated with dementia; it is unclear if they are associated with AD (Alzheimer's disease) pathogenesis as a potential mechanistic link. This study aimed to test the association of retinal microvascular abnormalities in mid and late life and late life cerebral amyloid. METHODS Participants from the ARIC-PET (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities-Positron Emission Tomography) study with a valid retinal measure (N = 285) were included. The associations of mid- and late-life retinal signs with late-life amyloid-β (Aβ) by florbetapir PET were tested. Two different measures of Aβ burden were included: (1) elevated amyloid (SUVR > 1.2) and (2) continuous amyloid SUVR. The retinal measures' association with Aβ burden was assessed using logistic and robust linear regression models. A newly created retinal score, incorporating multiple markers of retinal abnormalities, was also evaluated in association with greater Aβ burden. RESULTS Retinopathy in midlife (OR (95% CI) = 0.36 (0.08, 1.40)) was not significantly associated with elevated amyloid burden. In late life, retinopathy was associated with increased continuous amyloid standardized value uptake ratio (SUVR) (β (95%CI) = 0.16 (0.02, 0.32)) but not elevated amyloid burden (OR (95%CI) = 2.37 (0.66, 9.88)) when accounting for demographic, genetic and clinical risk factors. A high retinal score in late life, indicating a higher burden of retinal abnormalities, was also significantly associated with increased continuous amyloid SUVR (β (95% CI) = 0.16 (0.04, 0.32)) independent of vascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS Retinopathy in late life may be an easily obtainable marker to help evaluate the mechanistic vascular pathway between retinal measures and dementia, perhaps acting via AD pathogenesis. Well-powered future studies with a greater number of retinal features and other microvascular signs are needed to test these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Egle
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Jennifer A Deal
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA
| | - Keenan A Walker
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Dean F Wong
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - A Richey Sharrett
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA
| | - Rebecca F Gottesman
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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Su W, Ma L, Li K, Hu Y, Mao Y, Xie W, Hu X, Huang T, Lv J, Wang M, Yan B, Yao X, Yan X, Zhang J. Reduced Retinal Vascular Density and Skeleton Length in Amblyopia. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2024; 13:21. [PMID: 38780954 PMCID: PMC11127489 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.13.5.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between retinal vascular abnormalities and amblyopia by analyzing vascular structures of fundus images. Methods In this observational study, retinal fundus images were collected from 36 patients with unilateral amblyopia, 33 patients with bilateral amblyopia, and 36 healthy control volunteers. We developed a customized training algorithm based on U-Net to digitalize the vasculature in the fundus images to quantify vascular density (area and fractal dimension), skeleton length, and number of bifurcation points. For statistical comparisons, this study divided participants into two groups. The amblyopic eyes and the fellow eyes of patients with unilateral amblyopia formed the paired group, while bilateral amblyopic patients and healthy controls formed the independent group. Results In the paired group, the vascular area (P = 0.007), vascular fractal dimension (P = 0.007), and vascular skeleton length (P = 0.002) of the amblyopic eyes were significantly smaller than those of the fellow eyes. In the independent group, significant decreases in the vascular fractal dimension (P = 0.006) and skeleton length (P = 0.048) were observed in bilateral amblyopia compared to control. The vascular area was also significantly correlated with best-corrected visual acuity in amblyopic eyes. Conclusions This study demonstrated that retinal vascular density and skeleton length in amblyopic eyes were significantly smaller compared to control, indicating an association between the changes in retinal vascular features and the state of amblyopia. Translational Relevance Our algorithm presents amblyopic retinal vascular changes that are more biologically interpretable for both clinicians and researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxin Su
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Computer Science, Monash University, Monash, VIC, Australia
| | - Kexin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqun Hu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanqing Mao
- Department of General Practice, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenbin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinya Hu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junfeng Lv
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingxuan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Biao Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Yao
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaohe Yan
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiayi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Dai G, Yu S, Hu S, Luan X, Yan H, Wang X, Song P, Liu X, He X. A Novel Method for the Measurement of Retinal Arteriolar Bifurcation. Ophthalmol Ther 2024; 13:917-933. [PMID: 38294630 PMCID: PMC10912395 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-023-00881-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this research was to develop protocols for evaluating the bifurcation parameters of retinal arteriole and establish a reference range of normal values. METHODS In this retrospective study, we measured a total of 1314 retinal arteriolar bifurcations from 100 fundus photographs. We selected 200 from these bifurcations for testing inter-measurer and inter-method agreement. Additionally, we calculated the normal reference range for retinal arteriolar bifurcation parameters and analyzed the effects of gender, age, and anatomical features on retinal arteriolar bifurcation. RESULTS The measurement method proposed in this study has demonstrated nearly perfect consistency among different measurers, with interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for all bifurcation parameters of retinal arteriole exceeding 0.95. Among healthy individuals, the retinal arteriolar caliber was narrowest in young adults and increased in children, teenagers, and the elderly; retinal arteriolar caliber was greater in females than in males; and the diameter of the inferior temporal branch exceeded that of the superior temporal branch. The angle between the two branches of retinal arteriolar bifurcation was also greater in females than in males. When using the center of the optic disc as a reference point, the angle between the two branches of the retinal arteriole at the proximal or distal ends increased. In contrast, the estimated optimum theoretical values of retinal arteriolar bifurcation were not affected by these factors. CONCLUSIONS The method for the measurement of retinal arteriolar bifurcation in this study was highly accurate and reproducible. The diameter and branching angle of the retinal arteriolar bifurcation were more susceptible to the influence of gender, age, and anatomical features. In comparison, the estimated optimum theoretical values of retinal arteriolar bifurcation were relatively stable. Video available for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangzheng Dai
- Dragonfleye Healthcare Technology LLC, Shenyang, China
- He Eye Specialist Hospital, Shenyang, China
| | - Sile Yu
- Department of Public Health, He University, Shenyang, 110034, China
| | - Shenming Hu
- Department of Public Health, He University, Shenyang, 110034, China
| | - Xinze Luan
- Department of Public Health, He University, Shenyang, 110034, China
| | - Hairu Yan
- Dragonfleye Healthcare Technology LLC, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoting Wang
- Department of Public Health, He University, Shenyang, 110034, China
| | | | - Xinying Liu
- Dragonfleye Healthcare Technology LLC, Shenyang, China
| | - Xingru He
- Department of Public Health, He University, Shenyang, 110034, China.
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Zhou Y, Xu M, Hu Y, Blumberg SB, Zhao A, Wagner SK, Keane PA, Alexander DC. CF-Loss: Clinically-relevant feature optimised loss function for retinal multi-class vessel segmentation and vascular feature measurement. Med Image Anal 2024; 93:103098. [PMID: 38320370 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2024.103098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Characterising clinically-relevant vascular features, such as vessel density and fractal dimension, can benefit biomarker discovery and disease diagnosis for both ophthalmic and systemic diseases. In this work, we explicitly encode vascular features into an end-to-end loss function for multi-class vessel segmentation, categorising pixels into artery, vein, uncertain pixels, and background. This clinically-relevant feature optimised loss function (CF-Loss) regulates networks to segment accurate multi-class vessel maps that produce precise vascular features. Our experiments first verify that CF-Loss significantly improves both multi-class vessel segmentation and vascular feature estimation, with two standard segmentation networks, on three publicly available datasets. We reveal that pixel-based segmentation performance is not always positively correlated with accuracy of vascular features, thus highlighting the importance of optimising vascular features directly via CF-Loss. Finally, we show that improved vascular features from CF-Loss, as biomarkers, can yield quantitative improvements in the prediction of ischaemic stroke, a real-world clinical downstream task. The code is available at https://github.com/rmaphoh/feature-loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Zhou
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK.
| | - MouCheng Xu
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK; Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yipeng Hu
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK; Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, London W1W 7TS, UK
| | - Stefano B Blumberg
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK; Department of Computer Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - An Zhao
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK; Department of Computer Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Siegfried K Wagner
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Pearse A Keane
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Daniel C Alexander
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK; Department of Computer Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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Ji MH, Rickels KL, Yao T, Elhusseiny AM, Georgiou M, Shakarchi AF, Uwaydat SB, Dare RK, Sallam AB. Fractal Changes of the Retinal Microvasculature in Syphilitic Uveitis. Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2024:1-6. [PMID: 38324651 DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2024.2309280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To quantify chorioretinal microvascular damage and recovery post-treatment in patients with acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis (ASPPC) using fractal dimension (FD). METHODS Retrospective cohort study of patients with serologically confirmed syphilitic uveitis. We obtained optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) scans at baseline and follow-up after intravenous penicillin treatment and computed FD of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) using ImageJ. RESULTS We enrolled seven patients with ASPPC (11 eyes), and 17 control subjects (34 eyes). Pre-treatment averages of FD-SCP, FD-DCP, and FD-CC were: 1.672 (±0.115), 1.638 (±0.097), and 1.72 (±0.137); post-treatment: 1.760 (±0.071), 1.764 (±0.043), and 1.898 (±0.047). After treatment FD-CC increased in all 11 eyes with an average of 0.163 (p = 0.003); FD-DCP increased in 10 (91%) eyes with an average of 0.126 (p = 0.003); and FD-SCP increased in seven (64%) eyes with an average of 0.089 (p = 0.059). Compared to the post-treatment FD values in the syphilitic group, controls had similar FD-SCP (p = 0.266), FD-DCP (p = 0.078), and FD-CC (p = 0.449). CONCLUSIONS CC and DCP are mostly affected in ASPPC with minimal changes in the SCP. All vascular layers FD recovered after completing antibiotic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco H Ji
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Kaersti L Rickels
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Tianyuan Yao
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Michalis Georgiou
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ahmed F Shakarchi
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Sami B Uwaydat
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Ryan K Dare
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Ahmed B Sallam
- Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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Ong SS, Peavey JJ, Hiatt KD, Whitlow CT, Sappington RM, Thompson AC, Lockhart SN, Chen H, Craft S, Rapp SR, Fitzpatrick AL, Heckbert SR, Luchsinger JA, Klein BEK, Meuer SM, Cotch MF, Wong TY, Hughes TM. Association of fractal dimension and other retinal vascular network parameters with cognitive performance and neuroimaging biomarkers: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:941-953. [PMID: 37828734 PMCID: PMC10916935 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Retinal vascular network changes may reflect the integrity of the cerebral microcirculation, and may be associated with cognitive impairment. METHODS Associations of retinal vascular measures with cognitive function and MRI biomarkers were examined amongst Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants in North Carolina who had gradable retinal photographs at Exams 2 (2002 to 2004, n = 313) and 5 (2010 to 2012, n = 306), and detailed cognitive testing and MRI at Exam 6 (2016 to 2018). RESULTS After adjustment for covariates and multiple comparisons, greater arteriolar fractal dimension (FD) at Exam 2 was associated with less isotropic free water of gray matter regions (β = -0.0005, SE = 0.0024, p = 0.01) at Exam 6, while greater arteriolar FD at Exam 5 was associated with greater gray matter cortical volume (in mm3 , β = 5458, SE = 20.17, p = 0.04) at Exam 6. CONCLUSION Greater arteriolar FD, reflecting greater complexity of the branching pattern of the retinal arteries, is associated with MRI biomarkers indicative of less neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally S. Ong
- Department of OphthalmologyWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jeremy J. Peavey
- Department of Internal MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Kevin D. Hiatt
- Department of RadiologyWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Christopher T. Whitlow
- Department of RadiologyWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Rebecca M. Sappington
- Department of OphthalmologyWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of BiochemistryWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Atalie C. Thompson
- Department of OphthalmologyWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Samuel N. Lockhart
- Department of Internal MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Suzanne Craft
- Department of Internal MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Stephen R. Rapp
- Biostatistics and Data ScienceWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Annette L. Fitzpatrick
- Department of EpidemiologySchool of Public HealthUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Susan R. Heckbert
- Department of EpidemiologySchool of Public HealthUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - José A. Luchsinger
- Departments of Medicine and EpidemiologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Barbara E. K. Klein
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Stacy M Meuer
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | | | - Tien Y. Wong
- Singapore Eye Research InstituteSingapore National Eye CenterOphthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical ProgramDuke‐NUS Medical SchoolSingapore
- Tsinghua MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Timothy M. Hughes
- Department of Internal MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
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11
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Soehle M. Fractal Analysis of the Cerebrovascular System Pathophysiology. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 36:385-396. [PMID: 38468043 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-47606-8_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The cerebrovascular system is characterized by parameters such as arterial blood pressure (ABP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV). These are regulated by interconnected feedback loops resulting in a fluctuating and complex time course. They exhibit fractal characteristics such as (statistical) self-similarity and scale invariance which could be quantified by fractal measures. These include the coefficient of variation, the Hurst coefficient H, or the spectral exponent α in the time domain, as well as the spectral index ß in the frequency domain. Prior to quantification, the time series has to be classified as either stationary or nonstationary, which determines the appropriate fractal analysis and measure for a given signal class. CBFV was characterized as a nonstationary (fractal Brownian motion) signal with spectral index ß between 2.0 and 2.3. In the high-frequency range (>0.15 Hz), CBFV variability is mainly determined by the periodic ABP variability induced by heartbeat and respiration. However, most of the spectral power of CBFV is contained in the low-frequency range (<0.15 Hz), where cerebral autoregulation acts as a low-pass filter and where the fractal properties are found. Cerebral vasospasm, which is a complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), is associated with an increase in ß denoting a less complex time course. A reduced fractal dimension of the retinal microvasculature has been observed in neurodegenerative disease and in stroke. According to the decomplexification theory of illness, such a diminished complexity could be explained by a restriction or even dropout of feedback loops caused by disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Soehle
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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12
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Wu TY, Hsieh YT, Wang YH, Chiou JM, Chen TF, Lai LC, Chen JH, Chen YC. The association between retinal vascular fractal dimension and cognitive function in the community-dwelling older adults cohort TIGER. J Formos Med Assoc 2023; 122:1050-1060. [PMID: 37085387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE The small retinal vessels reflect cerebral microcirculation and its fractal dimension (Df), representing the complexity of the retinal microcirculation. However, the connection between retinal circulation and cognitive function lacked consistent and longitudinal evidence. This study aimed to explore the association between retinal vascular complexity and cognitive impairment over time in non-demented community-dwelling older adults. METHODS This four-year prospective cohort study (2015-2019) is part of the ongoing Taiwan Initiative for Geriatric Epidemiological Research (TIGER, 2011 to present). Of the 434 older adults (age >65) recruited, 207 participants were included for analysis. The retinal vascular Df was assessed by baseline images from fundus photography (2015-2017). Global (Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Taiwanese version, MoCA-T) and domain-specific cognition were assessed at the baseline and 2-year follow-up (2017-2019). The multivariable linear regression models and generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the association of Df with cognitive decline/impairment over time. RESULTS Decreased left retinal vascular complexity was associated with poor attention performance (β = -0.40). As follow-up time increased, decreased vascular complexity was associated with poor memory performance (right: β = -0.25; left: β = -0.19), and decreased right vascular complexity was associated with poor attention performance (β = -0.18). CONCLUSION Low retinal vascular complexity of the right or left eye may be differentially associated with cognitive domains in community-dwelling older adults over two years. The retinal vascular Df of either eye may be served as a screening tool for detecting cognitive impairment in the preclinical phase of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Yu Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Hsieh
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsin Wang
- Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Min Chiou
- Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Fu Chen
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Chuan Lai
- Graduate Institute of Physiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Hau Chen
- Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yen-Ching Chen
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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13
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Magesan K, Gnanaraj R, Tojjar J, Amose T, Alagorie AR, Mahalingam M, Sen P, Verma A, Sadda SR. Fractal analysis of the macular region in healthy eyes using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2023; 261:2787-2794. [PMID: 37199803 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-023-06117-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This cross-sectional observational study evaluated the relationship between retinal vascular fractal dimension (FD) and age, as well as other vascular parameters in healthy eyes using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). METHODS The study cohort consisted of 222 eyes of 116 healthy participants with no ocular or systemic disease. SS-OCTA images were captured and analyzed using the Plex Elite 9000 and software tools available in the advanced retinal imaging (ARI) network hub. The retinal vascular layers were defined by the instrument's automatic retinal layer segmentation. The fractal analysis was performed on the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and the whole retina. Grayscale OCTA images were standardized and binarized using ImageJ and fractal box-counting analyses were performed using Fractalyse software. Pearson's correlation was used to analyze the correlation between FD and retinal vascular parameters. RESULTS The results showed that FD values were significantly higher in the 6 mm ring and the whole 6 × 6 scan region when compared to the 1 mm ETDRS central subfield. The correlation between age and FD was weak with a significant positive correlation between age and FD of the SCP in the 6 mm ring and between age and FD of the DCP in the 1 mm ring. Overall, differences in FD values in these healthy eyes were extremely small regardless of age or macular location. CONCLUSION FD values in normal eyes show little variation with age and are relatively stable across the macula. This suggests that FD values may not need adjustment for age or location when evaluated in the context of retinal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kowsigan Magesan
- Elite School of Optometry, Unit of Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ramya Gnanaraj
- Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Jasaman Tojjar
- Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, 150 N, Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91103, USA
| | - T Amose
- Elite School of Optometry, Unit of Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Maanasi Mahalingam
- Elite School of Optometry, Unit of Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Parveen Sen
- Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Aditya Verma
- Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - SriniVas R Sadda
- Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, 150 N, Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91103, USA.
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14
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Fu Y, Yusufu M, Wang Y, He M, Shi D, Wang R. Association of retinal microvascular density and complexity with incident coronary heart disease. Atherosclerosis 2023; 380:117196. [PMID: 37562159 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.117196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The high mortality rate and huge disease burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) highlight the importance of its early detection and timely intervention. Given the non-invasive nature of fundus photography and recent development in the quantification of retinal microvascular parameters with deep learning techniques, our study aims to investigate the association between incident CHD and retinal microvascular parameters. METHODS UK Biobanks participants with gradable fundus images and without a history of diagnosed CHD at recruitment were included for analysis. A fully automated artificial intelligence system was used to extract quantitative measurements that represent the density and complexity of the retinal microvasculature, including fractal dimension (Df), number of vascular segments (NS), vascular skeleton density (VSD) and vascular area density (VAD). RESULTS A total of 57,947 participants (mean age 55.6 ± 8.1 years; 56% female) without a history of diagnosed CHD were included. During a median follow-up of 11.0 (interquartile range, 10.88 to 11.19) years, 3211 incident CHD events occurred. In multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, we found decreasing Df (adjusted HR = 0.80, 95% CI, 0.65-0.98, p = 0.033), lower NS of arteries (adjusted HR = 0.69, 95% CI, 0.54-0.88, p = 0.002) and venules (adjusted HR = 0.77, 95% CI, 0.61-0.97, p = 0.024), and reduced arterial VSD (adjusted HR = 0.72, 95% CI, 0.57-0.91, p = 0.007) and venous VSD (adjusted HR = 0.78, 95% CI, 0.62-0.98, p = 0.034) were related to an increased risk of incident CHD. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed a significant association between retinal microvascular parameters and incident CHD. As the lower complexity and density of the retinal vascular network may indicate an increased risk of incident CHD, this may empower its prediction with the quantitative measurements of retinal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuechuan Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Mayinuer Yusufu
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Australia; Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yueye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Mingguang He
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Danli Shi
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Ruobing Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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15
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Deng X, Chen K, Chen Y, Xiang Z, Zhang S, Shen L, Sun M, Cai L. Vessels characteristics in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity based on deep convolutional neural networks. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1252875. [PMID: 37691773 PMCID: PMC10484092 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1252875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the quantitative retinal vascular morphological characteristics of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) and Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) in the newborn by the application of a deep learning network with artificial intelligence. Methods Standard 130-degree fundus photographs centered on the optic disc were taken in the newborns. The deep learning network provided segmentation of the retinal vessels and the optic disc (OD). Based on the vessel segmentation, the vascular morphological characteristics, including avascular area, vessel angle, vessel density, fractal dimension (FD), and tortuosity, were automatically evaluated. Results 201 eyes of FEVR, 289 eyes of ROP, and 195 eyes of healthy individuals were included in this study. The deep learning system of blood vessel segmentation had a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 99%. The vessel angle in the FEVR group was significantly smaller than that in the normal group and ROP group (37.43 ± 5.43 vs. 39.40 ± 5.61, 39.50 ± 5.58, P = 0.001, < 0.001 respectively). The normal group had the lowest vessel density, the ROP group was in between, and the FEVR group had the highest (2.64 ± 0.85, 2.97 ± 0.92, 3.37 ± 0.88 respectively). The FD was smaller in controls than in the FEVR and ROP groups (0.984 ± 0.039, 1.018 ± 0.039 and 1.016 ± 0.044 respectively, P < 0.001). The ROP group had the most tortuous vessels, while the FEVR group had the stiffest vessels, the controls were in the middle (11.61 ± 3.17, 8.37 ± 2.33 and 7.72 ± 1.57 respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusions The deep learning technology used in this study has good performance in the quantitative analysis of vascular morphological characteristics in fundus photography. Vascular morphology was different in the newborns of FEVR and ROP compared to healthy individuals, which showed great clinical value for the differential diagnosis of ROP and FEVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Deng
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Kun Chen
- Department of Precision Machinery and Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yijing Chen
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Ziyi Xiang
- Department of Retina Center, Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shian Zhang
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Lijun Shen
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingzhai Sun
- Department of Precision Machinery and Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lingzhi Cai
- Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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16
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Shi XH, Dong L, Zhang RH, Zhou DJ, Ling SG, Shao L, Yan YN, Wang YX, Wei WB. Relationships between quantitative retinal microvascular characteristics and cognitive function based on automated artificial intelligence measurements. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1174984. [PMID: 37416799 PMCID: PMC10322221 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1174984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between retinal vascular characteristics and cognitive function using artificial intelligence techniques to obtain fully automated quantitative measurements of retinal vascular morphological parameters. Methods: A deep learning-based semantic segmentation network ResNet101-UNet was used to construct a vascular segmentation model for fully automated quantitative measurement of retinal vascular parameters on fundus photographs. Retinal photographs centered on the optic disc of 3107 participants (aged 50-93 years) from the Beijing Eye Study 2011, a population-based cross-sectional study, were analyzed. The main parameters included the retinal vascular branching angle, vascular fractal dimension, vascular diameter, vascular tortuosity, and vascular density. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: The results showed that the mean MMSE score was 26.34 ± 3.64 (median: 27; range: 2-30). Among the participants, 414 (13.3%) were classified as having cognitive impairment (MMSE score < 24), 296 (9.5%) were classified as mild cognitive impairment (MMSE: 19-23), 98 (3.2%) were classified as moderate cognitive impairment (MMSE: 10-18), and 20 (0.6%) were classified as severe cognitive impairment (MMSE < 10). Compared with the normal cognitive function group, the retinal venular average diameter was significantly larger (p = 0.013), and the retinal vascular fractal dimension and vascular density were significantly smaller (both p < 0.001) in the mild cognitive impairment group. The retinal arteriole-to-venular ratio (p = 0.003) and vascular fractal dimension (p = 0.033) were significantly decreased in the severe cognitive impairment group compared to the mild cognitive impairment group. In the multivariate analysis, better cognition (i.e., higher MMSE score) was significantly associated with higher retinal vascular fractal dimension (b = 0.134, p = 0.043) and higher retinal vascular density (b = 0.152, p = 0.023) after adjustment for age, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (logMAR) and education level. Discussion: In conclusion, our findings derived from an artificial intelligence-based fully automated retinal vascular parameter measurement method showed that several retinal vascular morphological parameters were correlated with cognitive impairment. The decrease in retinal vascular fractal dimension and decreased vascular density may serve as candidate biomarkers for early identification of cognitive impairment. The observed reduction in the retinal arteriole-to-venular ratio occurs in the late stages of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Han Shi
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Dong
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Heng Zhang
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Deng Ji Zhou
- EVision Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | | | - Lei Shao
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Ni Yan
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Xing Wang
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Bin Wei
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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17
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Ma DJ, Lee H, Choi JM, Park HE, Choi SY, Choi HJ. The role of retinal vessel geometry as an indicator of systemic arterial stiffness assessed by cardio-ankle vascular index. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1139557. [PMID: 37416921 PMCID: PMC10321710 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1139557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine whether retinal vessel geometry is associated with systemic arterial stiffness, as determined by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Methods This single-center retrospective cross-sectional study included 407 eyes of 407 subjects who underwent routine health exams, including CAVI and fundus photography. Retinal vessel geometry was measured using a computer-assisted program (Singapore "I" Vessel Assessment). Subjects were classified into two groups based on CAVI values: high CAVI (≥9) or low CAVI (<9). The main outcome measures included the association of retinal vessel geometry and CAVI value evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. Results Three hundred forty-three subjects (343, 84.3%) were in the low CAVI group, and 64 (15.7%) subjects were in the high CAVI group. Multivariable logistic linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, mean arterial pressure, and the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia showed a significant association between high CAVI values and the following retinal vessel geometry parameters: central retinal arteriolar equivalent caliber (CRAE; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89-1.00; P = 0.043), fractal dimension of arteriolar network (FDa; AOR, 4.21 × 10-4; 95% CI, 2.32 × 10-7-0.77; P = 0.042), and arteriolar branching angle (BAa; AOR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.99; P = 0.007). Conclusions Increased systemic arterial stiffness had a significant association with retinal vessel geometry related to arterial narrowing (CRAE), less branching complexity of the arterial tree (FDa), and acute arteriolar bifurcation (BAa).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Joong Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heesun Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Cardiology, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Min Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Eun Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Cardiology, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Yeon Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Cardiology, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuk Jin Choi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Arnould L, Meriaudeau F, Guenancia C, Germanese C, Delcourt C, Kawasaki R, Cheung CY, Creuzot-Garcher C, Grzybowski A. Using Artificial Intelligence to Analyse the Retinal Vascular Network: The Future of Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Based on Oculomics? A Narrative Review. Ophthalmol Ther 2023; 12:657-674. [PMID: 36562928 PMCID: PMC10011267 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-022-00641-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The healthcare burden of cardiovascular diseases remains a major issue worldwide. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and improving identification of people with a higher risk profile of systemic vascular disease through noninvasive examinations is crucial. In ophthalmology, retinal vascular network imaging is simple and noninvasive and can provide in vivo information of the microstructure and vascular health. For more than 10 years, different research teams have been working on developing software to enable automatic analysis of the retinal vascular network from different imaging techniques (retinal fundus photographs, OCT angiography, adaptive optics, etc.) and to provide a description of the geometric characteristics of its arterial and venous components. Thus, the structure of retinal vessels could be considered a witness of the systemic vascular status. A new approach called "oculomics" using retinal image datasets and artificial intelligence algorithms recently increased the interest in retinal microvascular biomarkers. Despite the large volume of associated research, the role of retinal biomarkers in the screening, monitoring, or prediction of systemic vascular disease remains uncertain. A PubMed search was conducted until August 2022 and yielded relevant peer-reviewed articles based on a set of inclusion criteria. This literature review is intended to summarize the state of the art in oculomics and cardiovascular disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Arnould
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 14 Rue Paul Gaffarel, 21079, Dijon CEDEX, France. .,University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, UMR U1219, 33000, Bordeaux, France.
| | - Fabrice Meriaudeau
- Laboratory ImViA, IFTIM, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21078, Dijon, France
| | - Charles Guenancia
- Pathophysiology and Epidemiology of Cerebro-Cardiovascular Diseases, (EA 7460), Faculty of Health Sciences, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France.,Cardiology Department, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Clément Germanese
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 14 Rue Paul Gaffarel, 21079, Dijon CEDEX, France
| | - Cécile Delcourt
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, UMR U1219, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ryo Kawasaki
- Artificial Intelligence Center for Medical Research and Application, Osaka University Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Carol Y Cheung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Catherine Creuzot-Garcher
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 14 Rue Paul Gaffarel, 21079, Dijon CEDEX, France.,Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Andrzej Grzybowski
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.,Institute for Research in Ophthalmology, Poznan, Poland
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19
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Lee EK, Kim HJ, Lee SY, Song SJ, Yu HG. Retinal vessel geometry in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5108. [PMID: 36991036 PMCID: PMC10060414 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32025-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the associations between retinal vascular geometric measurements and idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Whether changes in retinal vascular geometry are independent of systemic cardiovascular risk factors was also evaluated. This retrospective, cross sectional study included 98 patients with idiopathic ERM, and 99 healthy age-matched controls. Quantitative retinal vascular parameters were measured from digital retinal fundus photographs using a semi-automated computer-assisted program. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between retinal vascular geometric parameters and the presence of idiopathic ERM after adjusting for systemic cardiovascular risk factors. There was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics of the two groups, except that the ERM group had a higher proportion of females than the control group. In multivariate regression analyses, female sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.402; 95% CI 0.196-0.802; P = 0.011), wider retinal venular caliber (OR 16.852; 95% CI 5.384-58.997; P < 0.001) and decreased total fractal dimension (OR 0.156; 95% CI 0.052-0.440; P = 0.001) were associated with idiopathic ERM. Idiopathic ERM was associated with alterations in global retinal microvascular geometric parameters, wider retinal venules, and less complex vascular branching patterns, independent of cardiovascular risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Kyoung Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, #101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jee Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, #101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Su Jeong Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyeong Gon Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, #101, Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
- Retina Center, Sky Eye Institute, Seoul, Korea.
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20
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Wang J, Chen T, Qi X, Li Y, Yang X, Meng X. Retinal vascular fractal dimension measurements in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a retrospective case-control study. J Clin Sleep Med 2023; 19:479-490. [PMID: 36458734 PMCID: PMC9978437 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.10370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES We performed a case-control study to investigate the correlation between the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the retinal vascular fractal dimension (FD). METHODS We selected 527 individuals who underwent polysomnography during health checkups at the Huadong Sanatorium from January to December 2021 as the study population, of whom 468 were included and 59 were excluded. All participants underwent a detailed health examination, including medical history assessment, physical examination, assessment of lifestyle factors, fundus photography, and laboratory examinations. The retinal vasculature was quantitatively assessed using Singapore I Vessel Assessment (SIVA) software. The relationship between the AHI and the retinal vessel quantitative was examined by multiple linear regression analyses and restricted cubic spline. RESULTS Among the 468 studied individuals, the average age was 51.51 (43-58) years, with 369 (78.85%) men and 99 (21.15%) women. According to the AHI indicator, 355 individuals were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome, with an average AHI of 17.00 (9.200-30.130) events/h; 113 individuals were classified as controls, with an average AHI of 2.13 (0.88-3.63) events/h. In multiple linear regression, following varying degrees of adjustment for confounding factors, FD was reduced by 0.013 (P = .012; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.024 to -0.003), FD arteriole (FDa) was reduced by 0.013 (P = .019; 95% CI: -0.024 to -0.002), and FD venule (FDv) was reduced by 0.014 (P = .08; 95% CI: -0.024 to -0.004) in the high-AHI group compared with the low-AHI group. All tests for trend P values were < .05. The restricted cubic spline in the overall OSA population and the individuals without diabetes revealed a U-shaped pattern of decreasing, then increasing, FD, FDa, and FDv with a rising AHI. In the OSA individual with diabetes, FD, FDa, and FDv gradually decreased with increasing AHI. CONCLUSIONS The FD is associated with AHI in OSA individuals. The link between AHI and FD varied for OSA individuals with and without diabetes. CITATION Wang J, Chen T, Qi X, Li Y, Yang X, Meng X. Retinal vascular fractal dimension measurements in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a retrospective case-control study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(3):479-490.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huadong Sanatorium, Wuxi, China
| | - Tingli Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huadong Sanatorium, Wuxi, China
| | - Xing Qi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huadong Sanatorium, Wuxi, China
| | - Yihan Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huadong Sanatorium, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiaolong Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huadong Sanatorium, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiangming Meng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wuxi Huishan District People’s Hospital, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi, China
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21
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Liu G, Jiang A, Cao L, Ling S, Wang X, Bu S, Lu F. Optic disc and retinal vascular features in first 6 years of Chinese children. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1101768. [PMID: 37033190 PMCID: PMC10077150 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1101768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinal microvasculature plays an important role in children's fundus lesions and even in their later life. However, little was known on the features of normal retina in early life. The purpose of this study was to explore the normal retinal features in the first 6 years of life and provide information for future research. Methods Children, aged from birth to 6 years old and diagnosed with various unilateral ocular diseases were included. Venous phase fundus fluorescein angiography images with the optic disc at the center were collected. Based on the ResUNet convolutional neural network, optic disc and retinal vascular features in the posterior retina were computed automatically. Results A total of 146 normal eyes of 146 children were included. Among different age groups, no changes were shown in the optic disc diameter (y = -0.00002x + 1.362, R2 = 0.025, p = 0.058). Retinal vessel density and fractal dimension are linearly and strongly correlated (r = 0.979, p < 0.001). Older children had smaller value of fractal dimension (y = -0.000026x + 1.549, R2 = 0.075, p = 0.001) and narrower vascular caliber if they were less than 3 years old (y = -0.008x + 84.861, R2 = 0.205, p < 0.001). No differences were in the density (y = -0.000007x + 0.134, R2 = 0.023, p = 0.067) and the curvature of retinal vessels (lnC = -0.00001x - 4.657, R2 = 0.001, p = 0.667). Conclusions Age and gender did not impact the optic disc diameter, vessel density, and vessel curvature significantly in this group of children. Trends of decreased vessel caliber in the first 3 years of life and decreased vessel complexity with age were observed. The structural characteristics provide information for future research to better understand the developmental origin of the healthy and diseased retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guina Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Anna Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Le Cao
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Saiguang Ling
- EVision Technology (Beijing) Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Wang
- EVision Technology (Beijing) Co. LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Shaochong Bu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Correspondence: Shaochong Bu Fang Lu
| | - Fang Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Correspondence: Shaochong Bu Fang Lu
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22
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Hilal S, Cheung CY, Wong TY, Schmetterer L, Chen C. Retinal parameters, cortical cerebral microinfarcts, and their interaction with cognitive impairment. Int J Stroke 2023; 18:70-77. [PMID: 35450485 DOI: 10.1177/17474930221097737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quantitative changes in retinal vessels and thinning of optic nerves have been associated with subclinical (atherosclerosis, inflammation) and clinical age-related brain pathologies (stroke and neurodegeneration). However, data on the association between both retinal vascular and neuronal parameters with cortical cerebral microinfarcts (CMIs) and how these factors jointly influence cognition are lacking. AIM We investigated the association of retinal vascular and neuronal changes with CMIs on 3 T MRI and explored their interaction with cognitive impairment in a memory-clinic population. METHODS A total of 538 participants were included. Retinal vascular parameters (caliber, tortuosity, and fractal dimension) were measured from retinal fundus photographs using a semi-automated computer-assisted program. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thicknesses were obtained from optical coherence tomography. Cortical CMIs were defined as hypointense on T1-weighted MRI, <5 mm in diameter and restricted to the cortex. Cognition was assessed using Clinical Dementia Rating Sum-of-Boxes (CDR-SoB) score and detailed neuropsychological test. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, diagnosis, white matter hyperintensities volume, lacunes, and cerebral microbleeds. RESULTS Larger venular caliber (Rate ratios (RR): 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01-1.38, p = 0.014), increased venular fractal dimension (RR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.31-1.91, p ⩽ 0.001), increased venular tortuosity (RR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.35-1.75, p ⩽ 0.001), and thinner GC-IPL (RR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.13-1.36, p ⩽ 0.001) were associated with CMI counts. Among individuals in highest tertile of retinal parameters, a significant interaction was observed between venular tortuosity (RR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.22, p-interaction = 0.014) and GC-IPL (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.11, p-interaction < 0.001) with CMIs on CDR-SoB. CONCLUSION Retinal vascular and neuronal parameters are associated with cortical CMIs, and persons with both pathologies are likely to have cognitive impairment. Further studies may be warranted to evaluate the clinical utility of retinal parameters and CMI in risk prediction for cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Hilal
- Memory Aging and Cognition Center, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Carol Y Cheung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tien Yin Wong
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.,Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Leopold Schmetterer
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.,Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christopher Chen
- Memory Aging and Cognition Center, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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23
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Arnould L, Haddad D, Baudin F, Gabrielle PH, Sarossy M, Bron AM, Aliahmad B, Creuzot-Garcher C. Repeatability and Reproducibility of Retinal Fractal Dimension Measured with Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Healthy Eyes: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12071769. [PMID: 35885673 PMCID: PMC9323583 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12071769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal vascular network fractal dimension (FD) could be a promising imaging biomarker. Our objective was to evaluate its repeatability and reproducibility in healthy eyes. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with young, healthy volunteers who had no reported cardiac risk factors or ocular disease history. For each participant, three SS-OCTA images (12 × 12 mm) were acquired using the Plex Elite 9000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany) by two ophthalmologists. Automated segmentation was obtained from both the superficial and deep capillary plexuses. FD was estimated by box counting. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used as measures for repeatability and reproducibility. A total of 43 eyes of healthy volunteers were included. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 30 ± 6.2 years. The results show good repeatability. The ICC was 0.722 (95% CI, 0.541–0.839) in the superficial capillary plexus and 0.828 (95% CI, 0.705–0.903) in the deep capillary plexus. For reproducibility, the ICC was 0.651 (95% CI, 0.439–0.795) and 0.363 (95% CI, 0.073–0.596) at the superficial and deep capillary plexus, respectively. In this study, the FD of the vascular network measured via SS-OCTA showed good repeatability and reproducibility in healthy participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Arnould
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France; (D.H.); (F.B.); (P.-H.G.); (A.M.B.); (C.C.-G.)
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France
- Taste and Food Science Centre, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, 21000 Dijon, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-380-293-536; Fax: +33-380-293-879
| | - Déa Haddad
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France; (D.H.); (F.B.); (P.-H.G.); (A.M.B.); (C.C.-G.)
| | - Florian Baudin
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France; (D.H.); (F.B.); (P.-H.G.); (A.M.B.); (C.C.-G.)
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France
- EA7460, PEC2, Cerebral and Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Physiopathology, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Pierre-Henry Gabrielle
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France; (D.H.); (F.B.); (P.-H.G.); (A.M.B.); (C.C.-G.)
- Taste and Food Science Centre, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Marc Sarossy
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (M.S.); (B.A.)
| | - Alain M. Bron
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France; (D.H.); (F.B.); (P.-H.G.); (A.M.B.); (C.C.-G.)
- Taste and Food Science Centre, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Behzad Aliahmad
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (M.S.); (B.A.)
| | - Catherine Creuzot-Garcher
- Ophthalmology Department, Dijon University Hospital, 21000 Dijon, France; (D.H.); (F.B.); (P.-H.G.); (A.M.B.); (C.C.-G.)
- Taste and Food Science Centre, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, 21000 Dijon, France
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24
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Aminuddin N, Achuthan A, Ruhaiyem NIR, Che Mohd Nassir CMN, Idris NS, Mustapha M. Reduced cerebral vascular fractal dimension among asymptomatic individuals as a potential biomarker for cerebral small vessel disease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11780. [PMID: 35821514 PMCID: PMC9276662 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15710-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral small vessel disease is a neurological disease frequently found in the elderly and detected on neuroimaging, often as an incidental finding. White matter hyperintensity is one of the most commonly reported neuroimaging markers of CSVD and is linked with an increased risk of future stroke and vascular dementia. Recent attention has focused on the search of CSVD biomarkers. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of fractal dimension as a vascular neuroimaging marker in asymptomatic CSVD with low WMH burden. Df is an index that measures the complexity of a self-similar and irregular structure such as circle of Willis and its tributaries. This exploratory cross-sectional study involved 22 neurologically asymptomatic adult subjects (42 ± 12 years old; 68% female) with low to moderate 10-year cardiovascular disease risk prediction score (QRISK2 score) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging/angiography (MRI/MRA) brain scan. Based on the MRI findings, subjects were divided into two groups: subjects with low WMH burden and no WMH burden, (WMH+; n = 8) and (WMH−; n = 14) respectively. Maximum intensity projection image was constructed from the 3D time-of-flight (TOF) MRA. The complexity of the CoW and its tributaries observed in the MIP image was characterised using Df. The Df of the CoW and its tributaries, i.e., Df (w) was significantly lower in the WMH+ group (1.5172 ± 0.0248) as compared to WMH− (1.5653 ± 0.0304, p = 0.001). There was a significant inverse relationship between the QRISK2 risk score and Df (w), (rs = − .656, p = 0.001). Df (w) is a promising, non-invasive vascular neuroimaging marker for asymptomatic CSVD with WMH. Further study with multi-centre and long-term follow-up is warranted to explore its potential as a biomarker in CSVD and correlation with clinical sequalae of CSVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niferiti Aminuddin
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Anusha Achuthan
- School of Computer Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | | | - Che Mohd Nasril Che Mohd Nassir
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Nur Suhaila Idris
- Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Jalan Raja Perempuan Zainab II, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Department of Family Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Muzaimi Mustapha
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. .,Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Jalan Raja Perempuan Zainab II, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
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25
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Wagner SK, Hughes F, Cortina-Borja M, Pontikos N, Struyven R, Liu X, Montgomery H, Alexander DC, Topol E, Petersen SE, Balaskas K, Hindley J, Petzold A, Rahi JS, Denniston AK, Keane PA. AlzEye: longitudinal record-level linkage of ophthalmic imaging and hospital admissions of 353 157 patients in London, UK. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e058552. [PMID: 35296488 PMCID: PMC8928293 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Retinal signatures of systemic disease ('oculomics') are increasingly being revealed through a combination of high-resolution ophthalmic imaging and sophisticated modelling strategies. Progress is currently limited not mainly by technical issues, but by the lack of large labelled datasets, a sine qua non for deep learning. Such data are derived from prospective epidemiological studies, in which retinal imaging is typically unimodal, cross-sectional, of modest number and relates to cohorts, which are not enriched with subpopulations of interest, such as those with systemic disease. We thus linked longitudinal multimodal retinal imaging from routinely collected National Health Service (NHS) data with systemic disease data from hospital admissions using a privacy-by-design third-party linkage approach. PARTICIPANTS Between 1 January 2008 and 1 April 2018, 353 157 participants aged 40 years or older, who attended Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, a tertiary ophthalmic institution incorporating a principal central site, four district hubs and five satellite clinics in and around London, UK serving a catchment population of approximately six million people. FINDINGS TO DATE Among the 353 157 individuals, 186 651 had a total of 1 337 711 Hospital Episode Statistics admitted patient care episodes. Systemic diagnoses recorded at these episodes include 12 022 patients with myocardial infarction, 11 735 with all-cause stroke and 13 363 with all-cause dementia. A total of 6 261 931 retinal images of seven different modalities and across three manufacturers were acquired from 1 54 830 patients. The majority of retinal images were retinal photographs (n=1 874 175) followed by optical coherence tomography (n=1 567 358). FUTURE PLANS AlzEye combines the world's largest single institution retinal imaging database with nationally collected systemic data to create an exceptional large-scale, enriched cohort that reflects the diversity of the population served. First analyses will address cardiovascular diseases and dementia, with a view to identifying hidden retinal signatures that may lead to earlier detection and risk management of these life-threatening conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siegfried Karl Wagner
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Fintan Hughes
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Nikolas Pontikos
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Robbert Struyven
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Regulatory Science and Innovation, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, UK
| | - Hugh Montgomery
- Centre for Human Health and Performance, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel C Alexander
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Eric Topol
- Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Steffen Erhard Petersen
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Barts Heart Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Konstantinos Balaskas
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
- Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jack Hindley
- Department of Information Governance, University College London, London, UK
| | - Axel Petzold
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jugnoo S Rahi
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Ulverscroft Vision Research Group, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alastair K Denniston
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Regulatory Science and Innovation, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, UK
| | - Pearse A Keane
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
- Medical Retina Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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26
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Cheung CY, Biousse V, Keane PA, Schiffrin EL, Wong TY. Hypertensive eye disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2022; 8:14. [PMID: 35273180 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-022-00342-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hypertensive eye disease includes a spectrum of pathological changes, the most well known being hypertensive retinopathy. Other commonly involved parts of the eye in hypertension include the choroid and optic nerve, sometimes referred to as hypertensive choroidopathy and hypertensive optic neuropathy. Together, hypertensive eye disease develops in response to acute and/or chronic elevation of blood pressure. Major advances in research over the past three decades have greatly enhanced our understanding of the epidemiology, systemic associations and clinical implications of hypertensive eye disease, particularly hypertensive retinopathy. Traditionally diagnosed via a clinical funduscopic examination, but increasingly documented on digital retinal fundus photographs, hypertensive retinopathy has long been considered a marker of systemic target organ damage (for example, kidney disease) elsewhere in the body. Epidemiological studies indicate that hypertensive retinopathy signs are commonly seen in the general adult population, are associated with subclinical measures of vascular disease and predict risk of incident clinical cardiovascular events. New technologies, including development of non-invasive optical coherence tomography angiography, artificial intelligence and mobile ocular imaging instruments, have allowed further assessment and understanding of the ocular manifestations of hypertension and increase the potential that ocular imaging could be used for hypertension management and cardiovascular risk stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Y Cheung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Valérie Biousse
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pearse A Keane
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ernesto L Schiffrin
- Hypertension and Vascular Research Unit, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, and Department of Medicine, Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tien Y Wong
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Center, Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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27
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Miller LR, Tarantini S, Nyúl-Tóth Á, Johnston MP, Martin T, Bullen EC, Bickel MA, Sonntag WE, Yabluchanskiy A, Csiszar A, Ungvari ZI, Elliott MH, Conley SM. Increased Susceptibility to Cerebral Microhemorrhages Is Associated With Imaging Signs of Microvascular Degeneration in the Retina in an Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Deficient Mouse Model of Accelerated Aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:788296. [PMID: 35356301 PMCID: PMC8959924 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.788296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related cerebrovascular defects contribute to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) as well as other forms of dementia. There has been great interest in developing biomarkers and other tools for studying cerebrovascular disease using more easily accessible tissues outside the brain such as the retina. Decreased circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in aging are thought to contribute to the development of cerebrovascular impairment, a hypothesis that has been supported by the use of IGF-1 deficient animal models. Here we evaluate vascular and other retinal phenotypes in animals with circulating IGF-1 deficiency and ask whether the retina mimics common age-related vascular changes in the brain such as the development of microhemorrhages. Using a hypertension-induced model, we confirm that IGF-1 deficient mice exhibited worsened microhemorrhages than controls. The retinas of IGF-1 deficient animals do not exhibit microhemorrhages but do exhibit signs of vascular damage and retinal stress such as patterns of vascular constriction and Müller cell activation. These signs of retinal stress are not accompanied by retinal degeneration or impaired neuronal function. These data suggest that the role of IGF-1 in the retina is complex, and while IGF-1 deficiency leads to vascular defects in both the brain and the retina, not all brain pathologies are evident in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R. Miller
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Stefano Tarantini
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Nyúl-Tóth
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Morgan P. Johnston
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Teryn Martin
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Elizabeth C. Bullen
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Marisa A. Bickel
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - William E. Sonntag
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Andriy Yabluchanskiy
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Anna Csiszar
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltan I. Ungvari
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Michael H. Elliott
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dean McGee Eye Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Shannon M. Conley
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
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28
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Wang YM, Shen R, Lin TP, Chan PP, Wong MO, Chan NC, Tang F, Lam AK, Leung DY, Tham CC, Cheung CY. Optical coherence tomography angiography metrics predict normal tension glaucoma progression. Acta Ophthalmol 2022; 100:e1455-e1462. [PMID: 35261173 DOI: 10.1111/aos.15117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Meng Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Ruyue Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Timothy P.H. Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Poemen P. Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Hong Kong Eye Hospital Hong Kong SAR China
- Lam Kin Chung, Jet King‐Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Mandy O.M. Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Hong Kong Eye Hospital Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Noel C.Y. Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Prince of Wales Hospital Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Fangyao Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Alexander K.N. Lam
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Dexter Y.L. Leung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Department of Ophthalmology Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Clement C.Y. Tham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Hong Kong Eye Hospital Hong Kong SAR China
- Lam Kin Chung, Jet King‐Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Carol Y. Cheung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
- Lam Kin Chung, Jet King‐Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China
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Retinal Microvasculature And Immune Restoration Among South Eastern Asian HIV/AIDS Patients Over A 9-Month Antiretroviral Therapy. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2022; 90:170-174. [PMID: 35135974 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Longitudinal evidence on retinal microvasculature and subsequent systemic inflammatory alteration is lacking. We investigated the association between retinal microvasculature and immune response among HIV/AIDS patients over a 9-month antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort on HIV/AIDS patients at Singapore Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) since June 2011. We recruited all eligible patients and then reviewed them every three months over a 9-month follow-up, including performing blood tests (CD4+/CD8+ T-cell counts, HIV viral load), blood pressure, anthropometry measurements, and retinal photography at each visit. We assessed retinal vascular indexes via a semi-automated computer-based program. Lastly, we applied a linear mixed model to analyze associations between baseline retinal vascular indexes and 9-month changes of CD4+/CD8+ T-cell cell counts and HIV viral load throughout study observation, after adjusting for major confounders. RESULTS We found that narrower arteriolar caliber (per 10 μm decrease), wider venular caliber (per 10 μm increase), and larger arteriolar branching angle (per 10 degrees increase) in the retina assessed at baseline were significantly associated with 9-month reductions in CD4+ T-cell count by 52.97 cells/µl (p=0.006), 33.55 cells/µl (p=0.01), and 39.09 cells/ µl (p=0.008), accordingly. CONCLUSION HIV/AIDS Patients with a suboptimal retinal microvascular morphology tended to fail immune restoration undertaking a 9-month ART.
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30
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Zekavat SM, Raghu VK, Trinder M, Ye Y, Koyama S, Honigberg MC, Yu Z, Pampana A, Urbut S, Haidermota S, O’Regan DP, Zhao H, Ellinor PT, Segrè AV, Elze T, Wiggs JL, Martone J, Adelman RA, Zebardast N, Del Priore L, Wang JC, Natarajan P. Deep Learning of the Retina Enables Phenome- and Genome-Wide Analyses of the Microvasculature. Circulation 2022; 145:134-150. [PMID: 34743558 PMCID: PMC8746912 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.121.057709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microvasculature, the smallest blood vessels in the body, has key roles in maintenance of organ health and tumorigenesis. The retinal fundus is a window for human in vivo noninvasive assessment of the microvasculature. Large-scale complementary machine learning-based assessment of the retinal vasculature with phenome-wide and genome-wide analyses may yield new insights into human health and disease. METHODS We used 97 895 retinal fundus images from 54 813 UK Biobank participants. Using convolutional neural networks to segment the retinal microvasculature, we calculated vascular density and fractal dimension as a measure of vascular branching complexity. We associated these indices with 1866 incident International Classification of Diseases-based conditions (median 10-year follow-up) and 88 quantitative traits, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, and ethnicity. RESULTS Low retinal vascular fractal dimension and density were significantly associated with higher risks for incident mortality, hypertension, congestive heart failure, renal failure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, anemia, and multiple ocular conditions, as well as corresponding quantitative traits. Genome-wide association of vascular fractal dimension and density identified 7 and 13 novel loci, respectively, that were enriched for pathways linked to angiogenesis (eg, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, angiopoietin, and WNT signaling pathways) and inflammation (eg, interleukin, cytokine signaling). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that the retinal vasculature may serve as a biomarker for future cardiometabolic and ocular disease and provide insights into genes and biological pathways influencing microvascular indices. Moreover, such a framework highlights how deep learning of images can quantify an interpretable phenotype for integration with electronic health record, biomarker, and genetic data to inform risk prediction and risk modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Maryam Zekavat
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (S.M.Z., J.M., R.A.A., L.D.P., J.C.W.)
- Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Program (S.M.Z., Y.Y., H.Z.), Yale University, New Haven, CT
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
| | - Vineet K. Raghu
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
- Cardiovascular Research Center (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.C.H., S.U., S.H., P.T.E., P.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center (V.K.R.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Mark Trinder
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (M.T.)
| | - Yixuan Ye
- Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Program (S.M.Z., Y.Y., H.Z.), Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Satoshi Koyama
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
| | - Michael C. Honigberg
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
- Cardiovascular Research Center (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.C.H., S.U., S.H., P.T.E., P.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Zhi Yu
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
| | - Akhil Pampana
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
| | - Sarah Urbut
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
- Cardiovascular Research Center (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.C.H., S.U., S.H., P.T.E., P.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Sara Haidermota
- Cardiovascular Research Center (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.C.H., S.U., S.H., P.T.E., P.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Declan P. O’Regan
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, UK (D.P.O.)
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Program (S.M.Z., Y.Y., H.Z.), Yale University, New Haven, CT
- School of Public Health (H.Z.), Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Patrick T. Ellinor
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
- Cardiovascular Research Center (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.C.H., S.U., S.H., P.T.E., P.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Ayellet V. Segrè
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston (A.V.S., T.E., J.L.W., N.Z.)
| | - Tobias Elze
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston (A.V.S., T.E., J.L.W., N.Z.)
| | - Janey L. Wiggs
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston (A.V.S., T.E., J.L.W., N.Z.)
| | - James Martone
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (S.M.Z., J.M., R.A.A., L.D.P., J.C.W.)
| | - Ron A. Adelman
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (S.M.Z., J.M., R.A.A., L.D.P., J.C.W.)
| | - Nazlee Zebardast
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston (A.V.S., T.E., J.L.W., N.Z.)
| | - Lucian Del Priore
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (S.M.Z., J.M., R.A.A., L.D.P., J.C.W.)
| | - Jay C. Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (S.M.Z., J.M., R.A.A., L.D.P., J.C.W.)
| | - Pradeep Natarajan
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.T., S.K., M.C.H., Z.Y., A.P., S.U., P.T.E., P.N.)
- Cardiovascular Research Center (S.M.Z., V.K.R., M.C.H., S.U., S.H., P.T.E., P.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
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Feng Z, Wang G, Xia H, Li M, Liang G, Dong T, Xiao P, Yuan J. Macular Vascular Geometry Changes With Sex and Age in Healthy Subjects: A Fundus Photography Study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:778346. [PMID: 34977079 PMCID: PMC8714757 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.778346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To characterize the sex- and age-related alterations of the macular vascular geometry in a population of healthy eyes using fundus photography. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 610 eyes from 305 healthy subjects (136 men, 169 women) who underwent fundus photography examination and was divided into four age groups (G1 with age ≤ 25 years, G2 with age 26–35 years, G3 with age 36–45 years, and G4 with age ≥ 46 years). A self-developed automated retinal vasculature analysis system allowed segmentation and separate multiparametric quantification of the macular vascular network according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS). Vessel fractal dimension (Df), vessel area rate (VAR), average vessel diameter (Dm), and vessel tortuosity (τn) were acquired and compared between sex and age groups. Results: There was no significant difference between the mean age of male and female subjects (32.706 ± 10.372 and 33.494 ± 10.620, respectively, p > 0.05) and the mean age of both sexes in each age group (p > 0.05). The Df, VAR, and Dm of the inner ring, the Df of the outer ring, and the Df and VAR of the whole macula were significantly greater in men than women (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively). There was no significant change of τn between males and females (p > 0.05). The Df, VAR, and Dm of the whole macula, the inner and outer rings associated negatively with age (p < 0.001), whereas the τn showed no significant association with age (p > 0.05). Comparison between age groups observed that Df started to decrease from G2 compared with G1 in the inner ring (p < 0.05) and Df, VAR, and Dm all decreased from G3 compared with the younger groups in the whole macula, inner and outer rings (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In the healthy subjects, macular vascular geometric parameters obtained from fundus photography showed that Df, VAR, and Dm are related to sex and age while τn is not. The baseline values of the macular vascular geometry were also acquired for both sexes and all age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqing Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gengyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Honghui Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhaoqing Gaoyao People's Hospital, Zhaoqing, China
| | - Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoxia Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhaoqing Gaoyao People's Hospital, Zhaoqing, China
| | - Tingting Dong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhaoqing Gaoyao People's Hospital, Zhaoqing, China
| | - Peng Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Peng Xiao
| | - Jin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Jin Yuan
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Comparison of optical coherence tomography angiography metrics in primary angle-closure glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23136. [PMID: 34848773 PMCID: PMC8632996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02296-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the peripapillary vascular metrics in early normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and early primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). One or both eyes of each subject were imaged for a 3 × 3 mm peripapillary region by swept-source OCT-A (DRI-OCT Triton, Topcon, Japan) and assessed by an automated MATLAB program. OCT-A metrics including circumpapillary vessel density (cpVD) and fractal dimension (cpFD) were compared. Their association with visual field (VF) parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were determined. Sixty-eight eyes of 51 PACG, 68 eyes of 48 NTG, and 68 eyes of 49 control subjects were cross-sectionally analyzed. NTG eyes had significantly lower global cpVD (52.369 ± 0.781%) compared with PACG eyes (55.389 ± 0.721%, P = 0.004) that had comparable disease severity and average RNFL thickness. Multivariable analysis revealed that, for PACG and NTG eyes, decreased cpVD ([PACG] β = -4.242; CI: -8.120, -0.363 vs [NTG] β = -5.531; CI: -9.472, -1.590) and cpFD ([PACG] β = -8.894;CI: -11.925, -5.864 vs [NTG] β = -12.064; CI: -17.095, -6.932) were associated with decreased RNFL thickness (all P ≤ 0.032); with a stronger association between decrease cpFD and decreased RNFL thickness in NTG eyes (P = 0.028). Decreased cpVD was associated with decrease mean deviation (MD) in NTG eyes (β = -0.707; CI: -1.090, -0.324; P ≤ 0.001) and not associated with the visual field parameters in PACG eyes. Early NTG had lower global cpVD compared with early PACG, despite similar disease severity and average RNFL thickness.
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Arnould L, Guenancia C, Binquet C, Delcourt C, Chiquet C, Daien V, Cottin Y, Bron AM, Acar N, Creuzot-Garcher C. [Retinal vascular network: Changes with aging and systemic vascular disease (cardiac and cerebral)]. J Fr Ophtalmol 2021; 45:104-118. [PMID: 34836702 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
For over 10 years, the description of the retinal microvascular network has benefited from the development of new imaging techniques. Automated retinal image analysis software, as well as OCT angiography (OCT-A), are able to highlight subtle, early changes in the retinal vascular network thanks to a large amount of microvascular quantitative data. The challenge of current research is to demonstrate the association between these microvascular changes, the systemic vascular aging process, and cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. Indeed, a pathophysiological continuum exists between retinal microvascular changes and systemic vascular diseases. In the Montrachet study, we found that a suboptimal retinal vascular network, as identified by the Singapore I Vessel Assessment (SIVA) software, was significantly associated with treated diabetes and an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. In addition, we supplemented our research on the retinal vascular network with the use of OCT-A. In the EYE-MI study, we showed the potential role of quantitative characterization of the retinal microvascular network by OCT-A in order to assess the cardiovascular risk profile of patients with a history of myocardial infarction. A high AHA (American Heart Association) risk score was associated with low retinal vascular density independently of hemodynamic changes. Thus, a better understanding of the association between the retinal microvasculature and macrovascular disease might make its use conceivable for early identification of at-risk patients and to suggest a personalized program of preventative care. The retinal vascular network could therefore represent an indicator of systemic vascular disease as well as an interesting predictive biomarker for vascular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Arnould
- Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France; Centre d'investigation clinique 1432, Dijon, France; Laboratoire œil et nutrition, CSGA, UMR 1324 INRA, Dijon, France.
| | - C Guenancia
- Service de cardiologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France; Laboratoire PEC 2, Dijon, France
| | - C Binquet
- Centre d'investigation clinique 1432, Dijon, France
| | - C Delcourt
- Inserm U1219, équipe LEHA, université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - C Chiquet
- Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - V Daien
- Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Y Cottin
- Service de cardiologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France
| | - A M Bron
- Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France; Laboratoire œil et nutrition, CSGA, UMR 1324 INRA, Dijon, France
| | - N Acar
- Laboratoire œil et nutrition, CSGA, UMR 1324 INRA, Dijon, France
| | - C Creuzot-Garcher
- Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU de Dijon, Dijon, France; Laboratoire œil et nutrition, CSGA, UMR 1324 INRA, Dijon, France
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Lemmens S, Luyts M, Gerrits N, Ivanova A, Landtmeeters C, Peeters R, Simons A, Vercauteren J, Sunaric‐Mégevand G, Van Keer K, Molenberghs G, De Boever P, Stalmans I. Age-related changes in the fractal dimension of the retinal microvasculature, effects of cardiovascular risk factors and smoking behaviour. Acta Ophthalmol 2021; 100:e1112-e1119. [PMID: 34747106 PMCID: PMC9546094 DOI: 10.1111/aos.15047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Purpose This cross‐sectional study investigates the association between retinal vessel complexity and age and studies the effects of cardiovascular health determinants. Methods Retinal vessel complexity was assessed by calculating the box‐counting fractal dimension (Df) from digital fundus photographs of 850 subjects (3–97 years). All photographs were labelled as ‘non‐pathological’ by the treating ophthalmologist. Results Statistical models showed a significantly decreasing relationship between age and Df (linear: R‐squared = 0.1897, p < 0.0001; quadratic: R‐squared = 0.2343, p < 0.0001; cubic: R‐squared = 0.2721, p < 0.0001), with the cubic regression model offering the best compromise between accuracy and model simplicity. Multivariate cubic regression showed that age, spherical equivalent and smoking behaviour have an effect (p < 0.0001) on Df. A significantly increasing effect of the number of pack‐years on Df was observed (effect: 0.0004, p = 0.0017), as well as a significantly decreasing effect of years since tobacco abstinence (effect: −0.0149, p < 0.0001). Conclusion We propose using a cubic trend with age, refractive error and smoking behaviour when interpreting retinal vessel complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Lemmens
- Department of Ophthalmology University Hospitals UZ Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Health Unit VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) Mol Belgium
| | | | - Nele Gerrits
- Health Unit VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) Mol Belgium
| | | | - Charlien Landtmeeters
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Reinout Peeters
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Anne‐Sophie Simons
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Julie Vercauteren
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | | | - Karel Van Keer
- Department of Ophthalmology University Hospitals UZ Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | | | - Patrick De Boever
- Health Unit VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) Mol Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Sciences Hasselt University Diepenbeek Belgium
- Department of Biology University of Antwerp Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Ingeborg Stalmans
- Department of Ophthalmology University Hospitals UZ Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Biomedical Sciences Group Department of Neurosciences Research Group Ophthalmology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
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35
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Arnould L, Guenancia C, Bourredjem A, Binquet C, Gabrielle PH, Eid P, Baudin F, Kawasaki R, Cottin Y, Creuzot-Garcher C, Jacquir S. Prediction of Cardiovascular Parameters With Supervised Machine Learning From Singapore "I" Vessel Assessment and OCT-Angiography: A Pilot Study. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:20. [PMID: 34767626 PMCID: PMC8590163 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.13.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Assessment of cardiovascular risk is the keystone of prevention in cardiovascular disease. The objective of this pilot study was to estimate the cardiovascular risk score (American Hospital Association [AHA] risk score, Syntax risk, and SCORE risk score) with machine learning (ML) model based on retinal vascular quantitative parameters. Methods We proposed supervised ML algorithm to predict cardiovascular parameters in patients with cardiovascular diseases treated in Dijon University Hospital using quantitative retinal vascular characteristics measured with fundus photography and optical coherence tomography – angiography (OCT-A) scans (alone and combined). To describe retinal microvascular network, we used the Singapore “I” Vessel Assessment (SIVA), which extracts vessel parameters from fundus photography and quantitative OCT-A retinal metrics of superficial retinal capillary plexus. Results The retinal and cardiovascular data of 144 patients were included. This paper presented a high prediction rate of the cardiovascular risk score. By means of the Naïve Bayes algorithm and SIVA + OCT-A data, the AHA risk score was predicted with 81.25% accuracy, the SCORE risk with 75.64% accuracy, and the Syntax score with 96.53% of accuracy. Conclusions Performance of these algorithms demonstrated in this preliminary study that ML algorithms applied to quantitative retinal vascular parameters with SIVA software and OCT-A were able to predict cardiovascular scores with a robust rate. Quantitative retinal vascular biomarkers with the ML strategy might provide valuable data to implement predictive model for cardiovascular parameters. Translational Relevance Small data set of quantitative retinal vascular parameters with fundus and with OCT-A can be used with ML learning to predict cardiovascular parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Arnould
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France.,INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France; Dijon University Hospital, Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon, France.,Centre des Sciences du Gout et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Charles Guenancia
- Cardiology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France.,PEC 2, University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Abderrahmane Bourredjem
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France; Dijon University Hospital, Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon, France
| | - Christine Binquet
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France; Dijon University Hospital, Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon, France
| | - Pierre-Henry Gabrielle
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France.,Centre des Sciences du Gout et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Pétra Eid
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Florian Baudin
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Ryo Kawasaki
- Department of Vision Informatics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Yves Cottin
- Cardiology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France.,PEC 2, University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Catherine Creuzot-Garcher
- Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital, Dijon, France.,Centre des Sciences du Gout et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Sabir Jacquir
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Kortuem C, Dietter J, Bozkurt Y, Kortuem FC, Abaza A, Wahl S, Ivanov IV, Ueffing M, Voykov B. Vessel Evaluation in Patients with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma, Normal Tension Glaucoma and Healthy Controls. Clin Ophthalmol 2021; 15:4269-4280. [PMID: 34707346 PMCID: PMC8544789 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s320505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To compare changes in central retinal arterial equivalent (CRAE), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE), arteriovenous ratio (AVR), tortuosity and fractal dimension in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and in a control group (CG) on fundus photographs. Further, to provide further evidence of vascular change in glaucoma patients using a novel method of tortuosity. Patients and Methods The primary endpoint was the change in CRAE, CRVE, AVR, fractal dimension and tortuosity of the retinal vasculature from baseline, retrospectively analyzed from 2011 to 2017 at the University Eye Hospital Tuebingen. Fundus photos of POAG (N = 49), NTG (N = 38) and CG (N = 18) were computer evaluated and analyzed in the quantities mentioned above. Results CRAE in NTG and POAG and CRVE in NTG significantly decreased (P = 0.02, P = 0.01; P = 0.03) whereas CRVE in POAG increased insignificantly (P = 0.72). In NTG, AVR decreased significantly (P = 0.05), but to a lesser extent than in POAG (P < 0.001). In CG, CRAE decreased insignificantly (P = 0.10), CRVE decreased significantly (P = 0.03) and AVR increased insignificantly (P = 0.77). In POAG tortuosity calculated using standard methods as well as our novel method, increased significantly (P = 0.015-0.04), whereas it did not occur in NTG (P = 0.18-0.57) and CG (P = 0.11-0.21). Fractal dimensions in POAG decreased significantly (P = 0.001-0.002), whereas in NTG and CG changes were insignificant (P = 0.33-0.92). Conclusion Based on a retrospective analysis of fundus photographs, specific retinal vasculature features of the retinal vasculature display significant alterations associated with NTG and POAG. The assessment of tortuosity using our novel method was consistent with previously established methods for analyzing tortuosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Kortuem
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Dietter
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Yagmur Bozkurt
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Annegret Abaza
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Siegfried Wahl
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, Aalen, Germany
| | - Iliya V Ivanov
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, Aalen, Germany
| | - Marius Ueffing
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bogomil Voykov
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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Gao S, Gao L, Quan X, Zhang H, Bai H, Kang C. Automatic arteriosclerotic retinopathy grading using four-channel with image merging. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2021; 208:106274. [PMID: 34325376 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2021.106274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Arteriosclerosis can reflect the severity of hypertension, which is one of the main diseases threatening human life safety. But Arteriosclerosis retinopathy detection involves costly and time-consuming manual assessment. To meet the urgent needs of automation, this paper developed a novel arteriosclerosis retinopathy grading method based on convolutional neural network. METHODS Firstly, we propose a good scheme for extracting features facing the fundus blood vessel background using image merging for contour enhancement. In this step, the original image is dealt with adaptive threshold processing to generate the new contour channel, which merge with the original three-channel image. Then, we employ the pre-trained convolutional neural network with transfer learning to speed up training and contour image channel parameter with Kaiming initialization. Moreover, ArcLoss is applied to increase inter-class differences and intra-class similarity aiming to the high similarity of images of different classes in the dataset. RESULTS The accuracy of arteriosclerosis retinopathy grading achieved by the proposed method is up to 65.354%, which is nearly 4% higher than those of the exiting methods. The Kappa of our method is 0.508 in arteriosclerosis retinopathy grading. CONCLUSIONS An experimental study on multiple metrics demonstrates the superiority of our method, which will be a useful to the toolbox for arteriosclerosis retinopathy grading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Gao
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Li Gao
- Ophthalmology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiongwen Quan
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Han Zhang
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Hang Bai
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Chuanze Kang
- College of Computer Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
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French C, Heitmar R. Comparison of Static Retinal Vessel Caliber Measurements by Different Commercially Available Platforms. Optom Vis Sci 2021; 98:1104-1112. [PMID: 34570034 DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000001774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Commercially available platforms show good agreement in clinical outcomes for retinal vessel caliber measurements, despite differing absolute values. Tighter agreement is observed when right and left eye data are averaged, suggesting an approach suitable for clinical practice. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare the retinal vessel caliber measurements generated by different commercially available platforms and their associations with systemic blood pressure and age. METHODS A total of 209 participants were recruited from a UK optometric practice. After a routine eye examination, participants had disc-centered retinal photographs and systemic blood pressure taken. Retinal vessel calibers (central retinal artery equivalent, central retinal vein equivalent, and arteriovenous ratio) were calculated using both MONA REVA and VesselMap. RESULTS An inverse Pearson correlation was observed between central retinal artery equivalent and mean arterial blood pressure on both platforms (r = -0.275 [P ≤ .001] and r = -0.388 [P ≤ .001] for MONA REVA and VesselMap, respectively); this correlation was also observed with arteriovenous ratio and blood pressure. An inverse correlation was observed between central retinal artery equivalent and age (r = -0.362 [P ≤ .001] and r = -0.404 [P ≤ .001] for MONA REVA and VesselMap, respectively); this was also seen between central retinal vein equivalent and age (r = -0.322 [P ≤ .001] and r = -0.369 [P ≤ .001]). Arteriovenous ratio remained independent from age for both platforms. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated good agreement between the platforms for all three variables. CONCLUSIONS Although absolute caliber measurements differed between the platforms, the correlations observed were of similar magnitudes, with good agreement between the two platforms. Tighter spaced limits of agreement were observed when right and left eye data were averaged for each subject. In the absence of localized ocular pathology, this approach should be used.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebrovascular disease (CeVD), including stroke, is a leading cause of death globally. The retina is an extension of the cerebrum, sharing embryological and vascular pathways. The association between different retinal signs and CeVD has been extensively evaluated. In this review, we summarize recent studies which have examined this association. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION We searched 6 databases through July 2019 for studies evaluating the link between retinal vascular signs and diseases with CeVD. CeVD was classified into 2 groups: clinical CeVD (including clinical stroke, silent cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and stroke mortality), and sub-clinical CeVD (including MRI-defined lacunar infarct and white matter lesions [WMLs]). Retinal vascular signs were classified into 3 groups: classic hypertensive retinopathy (including retinal microaneurysms, retinal microhemorrhage, focal/generalized arteriolar narrowing, cotton-wool spots, and arteriovenous nicking), clinical retinal diseases (including diabetic retinopathy [DR], age-related macular degeneration [AMD], retinal vein occlusion, retinal artery occlusion [RAO], and retinal emboli), and retinal vascular imaging measures (including retinal vessel diameter and geometry). We also examined emerging retinal vascular imaging measures and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) deep learning (DL) techniques. RESULTS Hypertensive retinopathy signs were consistently associated with clinical CeVD and subclinical CeVD subtypes including subclinical cerebral large artery infarction, lacunar infarction, and WMLs. Some clinical retinal diseases such as DR, retinal arterial and venous occlusion, and transient monocular vision loss are consistently associated with clinical CeVD. There is an increased risk of recurrent stroke immediately after RAO. Less consistent associations are seen with AMD. Retinal vascular imaging using computer assisted, semi-automated software to measure retinal vascular caliber and other parameters (tortuosity, fractal dimension, and branching angle) has shown strong associations to clinical and subclinical CeVD. Other new retinal vascular imaging techniques (dynamic retinal vessel analysis, adaptive optics, and optical coherence tomography angiography) are emerging technologies in this field. Application of AI-DL is expected to detect subclinical retinal changes and discrete retinal features in predicting systemic conditions including CeVD. CONCLUSIONS There is extensive and increasing evidence that a range of retinal vascular signs and disease are closely linked to CeVD, including subclinical and clinical CeVD. New technology including AI-DL will allow further translation to clinical utilization.
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Van Craenendonck T, Gerrits N, Buelens B, Petropoulos IN, Shuaib A, Standaert A, Malik RA, De Boever P. Retinal microvascular complexity comparing mono- and multifractal dimensions in relation to cardiometabolic risk factors in a Middle Eastern population. Acta Ophthalmol 2021; 99:e368-e377. [PMID: 32940010 DOI: 10.1111/aos.14598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Metrics that capture changes in the retinal microvascular structure are relevant in the context of cardiometabolic disease development. The microvascular topology is typically quantified using monofractals, although it obeys more complex multifractal rules. We study mono- and multifractals of the retinal microvasculature in relation to cardiometabolic factors. METHODS The cross-sectional retrospective study used data from 3000 Middle Eastern participants in the Qatar Biobank. A total of 2333 fundus images (78%) passed quality control and were used for further analysis. The monofractal (Df ) and five multifractal metrics were associated with cardiometabolic factors using multiple linear regression and were studied in clinically relevant subgroups. RESULTS Df and multifractals are lowered in function of age, and Df is lower in males compared to females. In models corrected for age and sex, Df is significantly associated with BMI, insulin, systolic blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), albumin, LDL and total cholesterol concentrations. Multifractals are negatively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glucose and the WHO/ISH cardiovascular risk score. Df was higher, and multifractal curve asymmetry was lower in diabetic patients (HbA1c > 6.5%) compared to healthy individuals (HbA1c < 5.7%). Insulin resistance (insulin ≥ 23 mcU/mL) was associated with significantly lower Df values. CONCLUSION One or more fractal metrics are in association with sex, age, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and biochemical blood measurements in a Middle Eastern population study. Follow-up studies aiming at investigating retinal microvascular changes in relation to cardiometabolic risk should analyse both monofractal and multifractal metrics for a more comprehensive microvascular picture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ashfaq Shuaib
- Department of Medicine University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
- Hamad General Hospital Neuroscience Institute Doha Qatar
| | | | | | - Patrick De Boever
- VITO NV, Unit Health Mol Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Sciences Hasselt University Diepenbeek Belgium
- Department of Biology University of Antwerp Antwerpen Belgium
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41
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Liew G, Gopinath B, White AJ, Burlutsky G, Yin Wong T, Mitchell P. Retinal Vasculature Fractal and Stroke Mortality. Stroke 2021; 52:1276-1282. [PMID: 33611944 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.120.031886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Fractal analysis is a method of quantifying the branching complexity and density of the retinal vessels. We hypothesized that reduced fractal dimension, signifying a sparser vascular network, is associated with long-term stroke mortality. METHODS We examined the relationship of fractal dimension and stroke mortality in a prospective, population-based cohort of 3143 participants aged 49 years or older. Fractal dimension was measured from digitized fundus photographs using a computer-automated method. Stroke mortality was documented from Australian National Death Index records. We defined reduced fractal dimension as values in the lowest quartile. RESULTS Over 12 years, there were 132 (4.2%) stroke-related deaths. Stroke-related mortality was higher in participants with reduced fractal dimension (lowest quartile) compared with the highest quartile (7.7% versus 1.3%, P<0.01). After controlling for age, gender, smoking, blood pressure, history of stroke, and other factors, participants with reduced fractal dimension had higher stroke mortality (hazard ratio, 2.42 [95% CI, 1.15-5.07], lowest versus highest quartile). When modeled as a continuous variable, reduced fractal dimension was associated with increased stroke mortality (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.06-1.51], per SD decrease). CONCLUSIONS Reduced retinal vascular fractal dimension is independently associated with 12-year stroke mortality. Reduced fractal dimension may indicate cerebral tissue hypoxia and increased risk of stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Liew
- Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia (G.L., B.G., A.J.W., G.B.M., P.M.)
| | - Bamini Gopinath
- Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia (G.L., B.G., A.J.W., G.B.M., P.M.)
| | - Andrew J White
- Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia (G.L., B.G., A.J.W., G.B.M., P.M.)
| | - George Burlutsky
- Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia (G.L., B.G., A.J.W., G.B.M., P.M.)
| | - Tien Yin Wong
- Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore (T.Y.W.).,Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Center (T.Y.W.)
| | - Paul Mitchell
- Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Australia (G.L., B.G., A.J.W., G.B.M., P.M.)
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Wei FF, Thijs L, Melgarejo JD, Cauwenberghs N, Zhang ZY, Liu C, Kuznetsova T, Struijker-Boudier HAJ, Verhamme P, Dong YG, Staessen JA. Diastolic left ventricular function in relation to the retinal microvascular fractal dimension in a Flemish population. Hypertens Res 2021; 44:446-453. [PMID: 33542474 PMCID: PMC8019655 DOI: 10.1038/s41440-021-00623-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fractal analysis provides a global assessment of vascular networks (e.g., geometric complexity). We examined the association of diastolic left ventricular (LV) function with the retinal microvascular fractal dimension. A lower fractal dimension signifies a sparser retinal microvascular network. In 628 randomly recruited Flemish individuals (51.3% women; mean age, 50.8 years), we measured diastolic LV function by echocardiography and the retinal microvascular fractal dimension by the box-counting method (Singapore I Vessel Assessment software, version 3.6). The left atrial volume index (LAVI), e', E/e' and retinal microvascular fractal dimension averaged (±SD) 24.3 ± 6.2 mL/m2, 10.9 ± 3.6 cm/s, 6.96 ± 2.2, and 1.39 ± 0.05, respectively. The LAVI, E, e' and E/e' were associated (P < 0.001) with the retinal microvascular fractal dimension with association sizes (per 1 SD), amounting to -1.49 mL/m2 (95% confidence interval, -1.98 to -1.01), 2.57 cm/s (1.31-3.84), 1.34 cm/s (1.07-1.60), and -0.74 (-0.91 to -0.57), respectively. With adjustments applied for potential covariables, the associations of E peak and E/e' with the retinal microvascular fractal dimension remained significant (P ≤ 0.020). Over a median follow-up of 5.3 years, 18 deaths occurred. The crude and adjusted hazard ratios expressing the risk of all-cause mortality associated with a 1-SD increment in the retinal microvascular fractal dimension were 0.36 (0.23-0.57; P < 0.001) and 0.57 (0.34-0.96; P = 0.035), respectively. In the general population, a lower retinal microvascular fractal dimension was associated with greater E/e', a measure of LV filling pressure. These observations can potentially be translated into new strategies for the prevention of diastolic LV dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fei Wei
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lutgarde Thijs
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jesus D Melgarejo
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nicholas Cauwenberghs
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zhen-Yu Zhang
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chen Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tatiana Kuznetsova
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Peter Verhamme
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yu-Gang Dong
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jan A Staessen
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. .,Research Institute Alliance for the Promotion of Preventive Medicine, Mechelen, Belgium.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The retina is growingly recognized as a window into cerebrovascular and systemic vascular conditions. The utility of noninvasive retinal vessel biomarkers in cerebrovascular risk assessment has expanded due to advances in retinal imaging techniques and machine learning-based digital analysis. The purpose of this review is to underscore the latest evidence linking retinal vascular abnormalities with stroke and vascular-related cognitive disorders; to highlight modern developments in retinal vascular imaging modalities and software-based vasculopathy quantification. RECENT FINDINGS Longitudinal studies undertaken for extended periods indicate that retinal vascular changes can predict cerebrovascular disorders (CVD). Cerebrovascular ties to dementia provoked recent explorations of retinal vessel imaging tools for conceivable early cognitive decline detection. Innovative biomedical engineering technologies and advanced dynamic and functional retinal vascular imaging methods have recently been added to the armamentarium, allowing an unbiased and comprehensive analysis of the retinal vasculature. Improved artificial intelligence-based deep learning algorithms have boosted the application of retinal imaging as a clinical and research tool to screen, risk stratify, and monitor with precision CVD and vascular cognitive impairment. SUMMARY Mounting evidence supports the use of quantitative retinal vessel analysis in predicting CVD, from clinical stroke to neuroimaging markers of stroke and neurodegeneration.
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Dinesen S, Jensen PS, Bloksgaard M, Blindbæk SL, De Mey J, Rasmussen LM, Lindholt JS, Grauslund J. Retinal Vascular Fractal Dimensions and Their Association with Macrovascular Cardiac Disease. Ophthalmic Res 2021; 64:561-566. [PMID: 33454711 DOI: 10.1159/000514442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As the only part of the human vasculature, the retina is available for direct, noninvasive inspection. Retinal vascular fractal dimension (DF) is a method to measure the structure of the retinal vascular tree, with higher noninteger values between 1 and 2 representing a more complex and dense retinal vasculature. Retinal vascular structure has been associated with a variety of systemic diseases, and this study examined the association of DF and macrovascular cardiac disease in a case-control design. METHODS Retinal fundus photos were captured with Topcon TRC-50X in 38 persons that had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, cases) and 37 cardiovascular healthy controls. The semiautomatic software VAMPIRE was used to measure retinal DF. RESULTS Patients with CABG had lower DF of the retinal main venular vessels compared to the control group (1.15 vs. 1.18, p = 0.01). In a multivariable regression model adjusted for gender and age, eyes in the fourth quartile with higher DF were less likely to have CABG compared to patients in the first (OR, 7.20; 95% confidence interval: 1.63-31.86; p = 0.009) and second (OR, 8.25; 95% confidence interval: 1.70-40.01; p = 0.009) quartiles. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that lower complexity of main venular vessels associates with higher risk of having CABG. The research supports the hypothesis that the retinal vascular structure can be used to assess nonocular macrovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Dinesen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Pia S Jensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Diseases (CIMA), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria Bloksgaard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Jo De Mey
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Pharmacology and Personalized Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars M Rasmussen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Diseases (CIMA), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jes S Lindholt
- Centre for Individualized Medicine in Arterial Diseases (CIMA), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jakob Grauslund
- Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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45
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Cheng KKW, Tan BL, Brown L, Gray C, Bianchi E, Dhillon B, MacGillivray T, Tatham AJ. Macular vessel density, branching complexity and foveal avascular zone size in normal tension glaucoma. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1056. [PMID: 33441769 PMCID: PMC7807020 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80080-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between glaucoma severity and perifoveal vessel density (pfVD), branching complexity, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) size in normal tension glaucoma (NTG). 31 patients with NTG washed out of glaucoma medications were subjected to tests including; intraocular pressure measurement; standard automated perimetry; optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurement of macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC), inner macular thickness (IMT) and circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (cpRNFL); and OCT angiography measurement of pfVD, FAZ perimeter and multispectral fractal dimensions (MSFD). Eyes with more severe glaucoma had significantly thinner mGCC and cpRNFL and lower pfVD. MD decreased by 0.4 dB (95% CI 0.1 to 0.6 dB, P = 0.007) for every 1% decrease in pfVD. Lower MSFD was observed in eyes with lower pfVD and in patients with systemic hypertension. Multivariable analysis, accounting for age and OCTA quality, found lower pfVD remained significantly associated with thinner IMT, thinner mGCC and worse MD but not with MSFD. pfVD was reduced in NTG and was diminished in eyes with worse MD. Macular vessel branching complexity was not related to severity of visual field loss but was lower in patients with systemic hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin K W Cheng
- Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, 45 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, UK
| | - Beatrice L Tan
- Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, 45 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, UK
| | - Lyndsay Brown
- Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, 45 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, UK
| | - Calum Gray
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Eleonora Bianchi
- Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, 45 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, UK
| | - Baljean Dhillon
- Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, 45 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, UK.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tom MacGillivray
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew J Tatham
- Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, 45 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA, UK. .,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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46
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Czakó C, Kovács T, Ungvari Z, Csiszar A, Yabluchanskiy A, Conley S, Csipo T, Lipecz A, Horváth H, Sándor GL, István L, Logan T, Nagy ZZ, Kovács I. Retinal biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID): implication for early diagnosis and prognosis. GeroScience 2020; 42:1499-1525. [PMID: 33011937 PMCID: PMC7732888 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-020-00252-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment and dementia are major medical, social, and economic public health issues worldwide with significant implications for life quality in older adults. The leading causes are Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment/dementia (VCID). In both conditions, pathological alterations of the cerebral microcirculation play a critical pathogenic role. Currently, the main pathological biomarkers of AD-β-amyloid peptide and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins-are detected either through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or PET examination. Nevertheless, given that they are invasive and expensive procedures, their availability is limited. Being part of the central nervous system, the retina offers a unique and easy method to study both neurodegenerative disorders and cerebral small vessel diseases in vivo. Over the past few decades, a number of novel approaches in retinal imaging have been developed that may allow physicians and researchers to gain insights into the genesis and progression of cerebromicrovascular pathologies. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography, fundus photography, and dynamic vessel analyzer (DVA) are new imaging methods providing quantitative assessment of retinal structural and vascular indicators-such as thickness of the inner retinal layers, retinal vessel density, foveal avascular zone area, tortuosity and fractal dimension of retinal vessels, and microvascular dysfunction-for cognitive impairment and dementia. Should further studies need to be conducted, these retinal alterations may prove to be useful biomarkers for screening and monitoring dementia progression in clinical routine. In this review, we seek to highlight recent findings and current knowledge regarding the application of retinal biomarkers in dementia assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Czakó
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tibor Kovács
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltan Ungvari
- Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Theoretical Medicine Doctoral School/Departments of Medical Physics and Informatics & Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Anna Csiszar
- Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Theoretical Medicine Doctoral School/Departments of Medical Physics and Informatics & Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Andriy Yabluchanskiy
- Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Shannon Conley
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Tamas Csipo
- Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine/Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Agnes Lipecz
- Translational Geroscience Laboratory, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Neurodegeneration Program, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging/Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Josa Andras Hospital, Nyiregyhaza, Hungary
| | - Hajnalka Horváth
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Lilla István
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Trevor Logan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Zsolt Nagy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Illés Kovács
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY, USA.
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Lin TPH, Wang YM, Ho K, Wong CYK, Chan PP, Wong MOM, Chan NCY, Tang F, Lam A, Leung DYL, Wong TY, Cheng CY, Cheung CY, Tham CC. Global assessment of arteriolar, venular and capillary changes in normal tension glaucoma. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19222. [PMID: 33154407 PMCID: PMC7644687 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75784-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Microcirculatory insufficiency has been hypothesized in glaucoma pathogenesis. There is a scarcity of data to comprehensively examine the changes in retinal microvasculature and its role in normal tension glaucoma (NTG). We conducted a cross-sectional case-control study and included 168 eyes from 100 NTG patients and 68 healthy subjects. Quantitative retinal arteriolar and venular metrics were measured from retinal photographs using a computer-assisted program. Radial peripapillary capillary network was imaged with OCT-A and quantitative capillary metrics (circumpapillary vessel density (cpVD) and circumpapillary fractal dimension (cpFD)) were measured with a customized MATLAB program. We found that NTG was associated with decreased arteriolar and venular tortuosity, arteriolar branching angle, cpVD and cpFD. Decreased venular caliber, arteriolar and venular branching angles, cpVD and cpFD were associated with thinner average RNFL thickness. Decreased arteriolar and venular branching angles, cpVD and cpFD were also associated with worse standard automated perimetry measurements (mean deviation and visual field index). Compared with retinal arteriolar and venular metrics, regression models based on OCT-A capillary metrics consistently showed stronger associations with NTG and structural and functional measurements in NTG. We concluded that NTG eyes showed generalized microvascular attenuations, in which OCT-A capillary metrics attenuations were more prominent and strongly associated with NTG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy P H Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Meng Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kevin Ho
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cherie Y K Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Poemen P Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mandy O M Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Noel C Y Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Fangyao Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alexander Lam
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dexter Y L Leung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tien Yin Wong
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Center, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ching-Yu Cheng
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Center, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Carol Y Cheung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Clement C Tham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, China
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Arnould L, Guillemin M, Seydou A, Gabrielle PH, Bourredjem A, Kawasaki R, Binquet C, Bron AM, Creuzot-Garcher C. Association between the retinal vascular network and retinal nerve fiber layer in the elderly: The Montrachet study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241055. [PMID: 33085730 PMCID: PMC7577490 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the association between the characteristics of the retinal vascular network in the elderly and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in a population-based study. METHODS We conducted a population-based study, the Montrachet study (Maculopathy Optic Nerve, nuTRition neurovAsCular, and HEarT disease), in participants aged ≥ 75 years. RNFL thickness was assessed with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Analysis of the retinal vascular network was performed by means of the Singapore "I" Vessel Assessment (SIVA) software based on fundus photography. RESULTS Data from 970 participants were suitable for analysis. Patients with optic neuropathy were excluded. In multivariable analysis, each standard deviation (SD) decrease in the caliber of the six largest arterioles and veins in zone B and the six largest arterioles and veins in zone C was associated with a decrease in global RNFL thickness (β = -1.62 μm, P = 0.001; β = -2.39 μm, P < 0.001; β = -1.56 μm, P = 0.002; and β = -2.64 μm, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Our study found that decreased retinal vessels caliber were associated with a decreased RNFL thickness in the elderly without optic neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Arnould
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Dijon, France
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France
- Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | | | - Alassane Seydou
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France
- Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Pierre-Henry Gabrielle
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Dijon, France
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Abderrahmane Bourredjem
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France
- Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Ryo Kawasaki
- Department of Vision Informatics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Christine Binquet
- INSERM, CIC1432, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Dijon, France
- Clinical Investigation Center, Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Trials Unit, Dijon University Hospital, Dijon, France
| | - Alain M. Bron
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Dijon, France
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Catherine Creuzot-Garcher
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Dijon, France
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, CNRS, INRAE, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
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49
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Farrah TE, Dhillon B, Keane PA, Webb DJ, Dhaun N. The eye, the kidney, and cardiovascular disease: old concepts, better tools, and new horizons. Kidney Int 2020; 98:323-342. [PMID: 32471642 PMCID: PMC7397518 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2020.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, with hypertension and diabetes mellitus acting as major risk factors for its development. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and the most frequent end point of CKD. There is an urgent need for more precise methods to identify patients at risk of CKD and cardiovascular disease. Alterations in microvascular structure and function contribute to the development of hypertension, diabetes, CKD, and their associated cardiovascular disease. Homology between the eye and the kidney suggests that noninvasive imaging of the retinal vessels can detect these microvascular alterations to improve targeting of at-risk patients. Retinal vessel-derived metrics predict incident hypertension, diabetes, CKD, and cardiovascular disease and add to the current renal and cardiovascular risk stratification tools. The advent of optical coherence tomography (OCT) has transformed retinal imaging by capturing the chorioretinal microcirculation and its dependent tissue with near-histological resolution. In hypertension, diabetes, and CKD, OCT has revealed vessel remodeling and chorioretinal thinning. Clinical and preclinical OCT has linked retinal microvascular pathology to circulating and histological markers of injury in the kidney. The advent of OCT angiography allows contrast-free visualization of intraretinal capillary networks to potentially detect early incipient microvascular disease. Combining OCT's deep imaging with the analytical power of deep learning represents the next frontier in defining what the eye can reveal about the kidney and broader cardiovascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariq E Farrah
- University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Baljean Dhillon
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Pearse A Keane
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - David J Webb
- University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neeraj Dhaun
- University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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50
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Fan WY, Fleming A, Robertson G, Uji A, van Hemert J, Singer M, Sagong M, Ip M, Sadda SR. Fractal analysis of retinal vasculature in normal subjects on ultra-wide field fluorescein angiography. Int J Ophthalmol 2020; 13:1109-1114. [PMID: 32685400 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2020.07.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the fractal feature of the retinal vasculature of normal eyes on a stereographic projected and montaged ultra-wide field (UWF) fluorescein angiography (FA). METHODS Prospective, observational, cross-sectional study. Totally 59 eyes of 31 normal subjects were imaged using the Optos 200Tx. Images obtained at different gaze angles stereographically projected and montaged. The early-phase UWF FA frames were processed to segment the retinal vasculature and the results were exported as binary masks. The fractal dimension (FD) was calculated using the box-counting method. RESULTS The global FD for the entire retina was 1.6±0.04, with no difference between males and females (1.59±0.04 vs 1.61±0.04, P=0.084) or between right and left eyes (1.6±0.04 vs 1.6±0.05, P=0.61). FD was non-uniformly distributed among four quadrants (P<0.001) and decreased as the distance from the fovea increased (P<0.001). A negative association was observed between FD and age (R=-0.37, P=0.006), and this relationship was observed in the posterior and mid-peripheral retina (P<0.05) but absent in far-periphery (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Fractal geometry is non-uniformly distributed across the retina in normal eyes and decreases from the fovea to the far-periphery. Subjects with an older age tend to have a smaller FD, however, the FD in the far-periphery does not appear to be influenced by age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ying Fan
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.,Doheny Image Reading Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90086, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | | | - Akihito Uji
- Doheny Image Reading Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90086, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | - Michael Singer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates, San Antonio, TX 78258, USA
| | - Min Sagong
- Doheny Image Reading Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90086, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael Ip
- Doheny Image Reading Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90086, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - SriniVas R Sadda
- Doheny Image Reading Center, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90086, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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