Analysis of Macular Microvasculature in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To evaluate the retinal and choroidal microvascular blood flow in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods

Macular OCTA parameters including vessel density (VD) of parafoveal superficial capillary plexus (SCP-VD) and deep capillary plexus (DCP-VD), foveal vessel density (FD), foveal avascular zone area, and flow area of choriocapillaris were analyzed in 42 HIV-positive patients, and compared with 42 healthy controls.

Results

The mean SCP-VD, DCP-VD and FD were significantly lower in HIV-positive group compared with controls (p < .001, p = .014, p = .026; respectively). Reduced SCP-VD was associated with higher HIV RNA plasma level (r = −0.400, p = .021) and lower CD4 + T cell count (r = 0.314, p = .046) in HIV-positive patients.

Conclusions

Macular microvascular blood flow is affected by HIV infection. OCTA can detect microvascular flow abnormalities in retinal capillary plexus in HIV-positive patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Foveal avascular zone
• human immunodeficiency virus
• microvasculature
• optical coherence tomography angiography
• vessel density

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.