A comparison of macular morphology and microcirculation index in patients with pathological myopic choroidal neovascularization at different ages

Objective Based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), macular morphology and microcirculation indexes were analyzed in patients with pathological myopia choroidal neovascularization (PM-CNV) at different ages.

Methods Seventy PM-CNV patients (with monocular disease, 70 eyes in total) were selected as the study objects, and were divided into≤50 years old group18 cases (18 eyes) and >50 years old group52 cases (52 eyes) according to differed age. Routine ophthalmic examination and OCT and OCTA examinations were performed for all eyes. The basic features best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spherical equivalent (SE), ocular axis, macular morphological indexes central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal inner retinal thickness (IRT), subfoveal outer retinal thickness (ORT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), subfoveal outer retinal structure (Bruch membrane, chimera band integrity), microcirculation indicators superficial retinal capillary blood flow density (SCP-VD), deep retinal capillary blood flow density (DCP-VD), choroidal capillary blood flow density (CC-VD) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV)-related indicator (CNV area, CNV blood flow area, CNV location) levels were compared between the two groups.

Results There were no significant differences in BCVA, diopter and ocular axis between the two groups (P>0.05). The SFCT of the ≤50 years old group was 79.00(51.25, 112.25)μm, which was higher than 39.50(23.50, 63.00)μm of the >50 years old group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the integrity of CMT, IRT, ORT, subfoveal chimera zone and Bruch membrane between two groups (P>0.05). SCP-VD in the ≤50 years old group was (40.76±4.75) %, which was higher than (35.25±6.24) % in the >50 years old group (P=0.001). There were no significant differences in DCP-VD, CC-VD and CNV levels between the two groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion PM-CNV patients aged ≤50 has significantly larger SFCT than that in patients aged above 50 years old, and higher SCP-VD in macular region.