Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness in Pre-eclampsia

Therapeutic Value of Low-Dose Acetylsalicylic Acid for the Prevention of Preeclampsia in High-Risk Bulgarian Women

Introduction Preeclampsia (PE) is a syndrome that affects pregnant women after 20 weeks of gestation and involves numerous organ systems. Screening for PE is essential to prevent complications and guide management. Some existing guidelines for screening have limitations in terms of detection rates and false positives. The aim of this study is to assess the therapeutic value of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for the prevention of PE in high-risk Bulgarian women. Methodology A prospective cohort research was carried out, encompassing women who were recruited from several routine consultations, such as booking, scanning, and regular prenatal visits. We utilized the purposive sampling technique to carefully choose potential participants. The study was conducted by a maternal-fetal medicine center located in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The data-gathering period spanned from January 2018 to November 2020. At the appointment, the following procedures were conducted: 1) recording history; 2) assessing height, weight, and blood pressure; 3) collecting blood specimens for biochemical markers; and 4) ultrasound examination. Results A total sample size of 1,383 individuals was categorized into two distinct groups: high-risk patients (n = 506) and low-risk patients (n = 877). The mean uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) ratios were all greater in high-risk group women (p < 0.05). The data revealed that a significant number of high-risk women failed to adhere to the prescribed dosage or regular use of ASA as recommended by their doctor. There were only 384 (75.9%) high-risk women who took low-dose ASA regularly. Conclusion The findings emphasize the importance of personalized prenatal care and early risk assessment to improve maternal and fetal outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to educate pregnant women, considering the benefits and risks of low-dose ASA when appropriately indicated.

Relationship between proteinuria and changes in antepartum and postpartum choroidal thickness in patients with pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder characterised by systemic vascular resistance and endothelial dysfunction. It is known to influence choroidal thickness (CT). No previous studies have explored the antepartum and postpartum changes in CT with respect to the protein-creatinine ratio (PCR), a measure of proteinuria that is a clinical hallmark of PE. This study evaluated the correlations between antepartum and postpartum CT and the PCR in patients with PE. In this retrospective study, sixty-six eyes (66 patients) were analysed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median PCR value (2.36 mg/mg): low PCR group (< 2.36 mg/mg) and high PCR group (≥ 2.36 mg/mg). Ophthalmologic clinical data were collected and assessed. We observed higher antepartum CT and higher mean arterial pressure in high PCR group than in low PCR group. Moreover, postpartum CT decreased significantly in high PCR group. In the multivariate analysis, CT changes were correlated with antepartum CT and antepartum PCR after logarithm transformation. In conclusion, a greater decrease in CT was observed in high PCR group than in low PCR group. Further, the antepartum PCR showed a correlation with the extent of CT reduction.

Preeclampsia Management and Maternal Ophthalmic Artery Doppler Measurements between 19 and 23 Weeks of Gestation

Background: The ophthalmic Doppler is a reliable and impartial way to assess the severity of preeclampsia (PE). The study aimed to assess the potential utility of Doppler measurements of the maternal ophthalmic arteries during the weeks 19-23 of gestation, both independently and in combination with established biomarkers for PE. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving women who were recruited from a variety of standard appointments, including booking, scanning, and regular prenatal visits. A total of 200 women that were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups for developing PE were involved during the period between April 2023 and November 2023. Results: The ophthalmic ratio had significantly higher values in high-risk patients than in low-risk women (p = 0.000). There was a significant relationship between PSV2/PSV1 and gestational age at birth in women with PE compared to the ones who did not develop PE. Conclusions: An ophthalmic artery Doppler can play a crucial role in the early detection of PE, allowing for timely intervention and management. Incorporating the ophthalmic artery Doppler as a screening tool for PE in Bulgaria has the potential to improve early detection, risk stratification, and overall maternal and fetal health outcomes.

Evaluation of choroidal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in Chinese pregnant women and healthy non-pregnant women

Purpose

To evaluate choroidal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in different trimesters using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).

Methods

A prospective comparative study included 45 healthy pregnant women in the first trimester, 45 women in the second, 45 women in the third and 45 healthy non-pregnant women as the control group. Macular choroidal thickness was measured at three locations: The subfoveal, 1 ​mm temporal, and 1 ​mm nasal from the fovea with EDI-OCT. Peripapillary choroidal thickness (PPCT) and RNFL thickness parameters were automatically calculated by the Spectralis OCT.

Results

The subfoveal, temporal and nasal macular choroidal thickness were all significantly thicker in the second trimester, compared with those parameters in the first, the third trimesters and the control group (all P ​< ​0.05). The PPCT was significantly increased in the second trimeter compared with the control group at global, temporal, temporal inferior, nasal and nasal inferior positions (all P ​< ​0.05). The RNFL thickness was also significantly increased in pregnant women at nasal superior and nasal inferior quadrants (all P ​< ​0.05).

Conclusions

The choroidal thickness in pregnant women was found to be thicker than the control group, regardless of macular or optic disc location. Findings of RNFL thickening might indicate subclinical involvement of the central nervous system.

Correlation of Ocular Plane-Wave Doppler With Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Preeclampsia

OBJECTIVES

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe complication of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, proteinuria and compromised fetal blood supply. The eye, like other end organs, is affected by this systemic condition, but unlike in other organs, ocular media transparency allows high-resolution optical visualization of the vascular structure of the retina. Our aim was to assess how ultrasound-determined ocular blood-flow correlates with vascular structure of the retina and choriocapillaris determined by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

METHODS

Plane-wave ultrasound and OCTA were performed on both eyes of 40 consecutive subjects consisting of normal controls (n = 11), mild PE (n = 5), severe PE (n = 17) and chronic or gestational hypertension (n = 7) within 72 hours following delivery. From ultrasound, we measured pulsatile flow velocity and resistance indices in the central retinal artery (CRA) and vein, the short posterior ciliary arteries (SPCAs) and choroid. From OCTA, we measured vascular density (VD) in the superficial, deep retina and choriocapillaris. We determined differences in Doppler and OCTA parameters among groups and correlations between ultrasound and OCTA.

RESULTS

In severe PE, flow resistance was reduced with respect to controls. Flow velocity and resistance in the and SPCA were moderately correlated with VD in the choriocapillaris and peripapillary retina, but VD in PE did not differ significantly from controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Although OCTA parameters were moderately correlated with Doppler ultrasound, OCTA did not demonstrate significant differences between PE and controls postpartum.

IMI-The Dynamic Choroid: New Insights, Challenges, and Potential Significance for Human Myopia

The choroid is the richly vascular layer of the eye located between the sclera and Bruch's membrane. Early studies in animals, as well as more recent studies in humans, have demonstrated that the choroid is a dynamic, multifunctional structure, with its thickness directly and indirectly subject to modulation by a variety of physiologic and visual stimuli. In this review, the anatomy and function of the choroid are summarized and links between the choroid, eye growth regulation, and myopia, as demonstrated in animal models, discussed. Methods for quantifying choroidal thickness in the human eye and associated challenges are described, the literature examining choroidal changes in response to various visual stimuli and refractive error-related differences are summarized, and the potential implications of the latter for myopia are considered. This review also allowed for the reexamination of the hypothesis that short-term changes in choroidal thickness induced by pharmacologic, optical, or environmental stimuli are predictive of future long-term changes in axial elongation, and the speculation that short-term choroidal thickening can be used as a biomarker of treatment efficacy for myopia control therapies, with the general conclusion that current evidence is not sufficient.

Central Corneal Thickness and Intraocular Pressure in Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

INTRODUCTION

Pregnancy causes an increase in central corneal thickness (CCT) and a reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP), especially in the third trimester. However, there is very limited published data regarding CCT and IOP in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on diet control. This study is aimed to compare the means of CCT and IOP between pregnant women with GDM on diet control, healthy pregnant women, and healthy non-pregnant women.

METHODS

This is a comparative cross-sectional study. A total of 184 women were recruited and divided into the following three groups: 61 pregnant women with GDM on diet control, 63 healthy pregnant women, and 60 healthy non-pregnant women as control. All subjects have undergone ocular examination during their 36-40 weeks of gestation. CCT measurement was done using a specular microscope and IOP measurement using a non-contact tonometer. Data from the right eye were analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age was 32 (4.0) years in GDM on diet control, 29 (3.0) years in healthy pregnant women, and 27 (5.4) years in healthy non-pregnant women. The number of gravidas was 2.5 (0.8) in women with GDM on diet control and 2.3 (0.8) in healthy pregnant women. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean CCT in women with GDM on diet control compared to healthy pregnant and healthy non-pregnant women. The mean IOP is significantly lower in both pregnant women with GDM on diet control and healthy pregnant groups, compared to the healthy non-pregnant women group.

CONCLUSION

Women with GDM showed significantly thicker mean CCT than healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women. The mean IOP is significantly lower in both pregnant women with GDM on diet control and healthy pregnant groups, compared to the healthy non-pregnant women group.

Changes in Choroidal Thickness and Structure in Preeclampsia with Serous Retinal Detachment

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. We retrospectively investigated the clinical features, including choroidal layer thickness and luminal area to stromal area ratio, in a case series of preeclampsia with serous retinal detachment (SRD). The subjects were pregnant women with SRD during hospitalization for preeclampsia from October 2014 to June 2021. Based on medical records, affected eyes, time of onset, fundus examination findings, and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT), the choroidal layer thickness and choroidal vascular index (CVI) in each patient was examined. Thirteen eyes from seven patients (mean age 30.7 ± 4.7 years) were included in the study. In all cases, SRD improved without topical ocular treatment. The mean SCT at the initial visit was 424.4 ± 70.5 μm, and all patients had choroidal thickening, which significantly decreased to 286.0 ± 57.9 μm (p < 0.01) at the last visit. The mean choroidal inner layer was 162.7 ± 69.4 μm at the initial visit and 122.3 ± 35.5 μm at the final follow-up visit (p = 0.06), showing no significant difference; however, the mean choroidal outer layer was 261.7 ± 47.6 μm at the initial visit and 163.7 ± 37.1 μm at the final follow-up visit (p < 0.01), thus showing a significant decrease. The mean CVI was 67.2 ± 1.3% at the initial visit, yet it had significantly decreased to 65.4 ± 1.1% (p < 0.01) at the final follow-up visit. The findings of this study show that SRD with preeclampsia is associated with increased thickening of the choroidal outer layer, especially in the choroidal luminal area.

Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness during Pregnancy and Postpartum: A Longitudinal Study

Purpose

To assess the longitudinal changes of choroidal thickness using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) during pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods

The study included 23 eyes of 23 healthy pregnant women and 23 eyes of 23 healthy nonpregnant women. Choroidal thickness was measured manually with EDI-OCT at seven locations: The fovea, 500, 1000, and 1500 μm temporal (T) from the fovea and 500, 1000, and 1500 μm nasal (N) from the fovea. Measurements were obtained at each pregnancy trimester and 6 weeks postpartum and in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle for the control group.

Results

The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 410.2 ± 82.4 μm, 434.8 ± 79.6 μm, 433.5 ± 80.3 μm, and 395.0 ± 71.1 μm in the first, second, and third trimesters and 6 weeks postpartum, respectively. In all seven measured locations, statistically significant changes were noted during pregnancy and postpartum in the choroidal thickness (P < 0.001). Choroidal thickness increased from the first trimester to the second and third trimester, after which it decreased at postpartum. Choroidal thickness was greater in the pregnant group during pregnancy and postpartum compared to the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study indicated significant change in choroidal thickness at seven locations measured with EDI-OCT throughout pregnancy and 6 weeks after delivery. We showed that 6 weeks after delivery, choroidal thickness remains significantly higher than nonpregnant subjects.

Exploring the choroidal vascular labyrinth and its molecular and structural roles in health and disease

The choroid is a key player in maintaining ocular homeostasis and plays a role in a variety of chorioretinal diseases, many of which are poorly understood. Recent advances in the field of single-cell RNA sequencing have yielded valuable insights into the properties of choroidal endothelial cells (CECs). Here, we review the role of the choroid in various physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms, focusing on the role of CECs. We also discuss new insights regarding the phenotypic properties of CECs, CEC subpopulations, and the value of measuring transcriptomics in primary CEC cultures derived from post-mortem eyes. In addition, we discuss key phenotypic, structural, and functional differences that distinguish CECs from other endothelial cells such as retinal vascular endothelial cells. Understanding the specific clinical and molecular properties of the choroid will shed new light on the pathogenesis of the broad clinical range of chorioretinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, central serous chorioretinopathy and other diseases within the pachychoroid spectrum, uveitis, and diabetic choroidopathy. Although our knowledge is still relatively limited with respect to the clinical features and molecular pathways that underlie these chorioretinal diseases, we summarise new approaches and discuss future directions for gaining new insights into these sight-threatening diseases and highlight new therapeutic strategies such as pluripotent stem cell‒based technologies and gene therapy.

Case-control study on ocular changes and ophthalmic Doppler velocimetric indices among preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria

Objective

To compare the ocular changes and Doppler velocimetric indices in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women.

Methods and analysis

This was a case-control study of 71 preeclamptic women and 72 parity-matched normotensive pregnant women conducted at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Demographic data were obtained using questionnaires. All participants had visual acuity assessment, funduscopy, intraocular pressure measurement and orbital Doppler ultrasonography. The differences in parameters between the two groups were tested using Student’s t-test for quantitative variables and χ² tests for categorical variables.

Results

There were no significant differences between cases and controls with respect to sociodemographic variables. The mean pulsatility index was 1.35±0.46 in cases and 2.1±0.4 in controls (p<0.001); the resistivity index was 0.7±0.18 in cases and 0.83±0.27 among the controls (p=0.01). A similar pattern was observed in the peak systolic velocity (p<0.001) and the peak ratio (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups concerning end-diastolic velocity (p=0.535). Three preeclampsia patients (5.2%) had abnormalities on funduscopy compared with none of the controls. Preeclamptic women had significantly higher intraocular pressures in both eyes at baseline and at 24 hours post delivery.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated lower Doppler velocimetry and impedance parameters and higher intraocular pressure among preeclampsia cases compared with controls. Abnormal funduscopic findings were observed in a few preeclamptic women and none among the controls. Ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters could be useful in identifying those women who are likely to suffer preeclampsia and its complications.