The relationship between retinal microcirculation and right heart catheterization and echocardiography findings in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. (24th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hekimsoy, Vedat; Kılınç Hekimsoy, Hilal; Şekeroğlu, Mehmet Ali; Kaya, Ergün Barış; Tokgözoğlu, Lale
• Is Part Of: Microcirculation. Volume 28:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-05-24
• Subjects: idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension -- optical coherence tomography angiography -- retinal microvasculature -- right heart catheterization -- transthoracic echocardiography; Biological transport -- Periodicals; Microcirculation -- Physiology -- Periodicals; 612.135
• DOI: 10.1111/micc.12704
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1073-9688

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To determine the possible alterations of retinal microcirculation associated with right‐sided intracardiac pressures in patients with IPAH. Methods: Twenty patients with IPAH and 20 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls were included in the study. Hemodynamic data were obtained from the most recent right heart catheterization. Echocardiographic examination was performed within 24 h of ophthalmological examination. For the right eyes of all participants, high‐resolution scans of chorioretinal microvascular networks at different depths of the retina were captured via OCT angiography. Results: The perfusion of the superficial and deep capillary plexus (SCP and DCP), and choriocapillaris (CCP) flow area were significantly lower than those in healthy control subjects ( p < .05 for all). In IPAH group, PVR and mPAP were correlated significantly with the perfusion measurements at SCP and DCP ( r = .461, r = .626 and r = .625, r =0.730, respectively, p < .05). sPAP and TRV were positively correlated with the perfusion measurements at SCP and DCP ( r = .600, r = .662 and r = .670, r = .655 p < .05). Conclusions: The positive correlation of retinal perfusion at SCP and DCP with right‐sided echocardiographic and hemodynamic measurements unveiled that retinal microcirculation is affected by the pressure alterations in the pulmonary circulation of IPAH patients.