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Clinical science
Evaluation of optical coherence tomography angiographic findings in Alzheimer’s type dementia
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  1. Mehmet Bulut1,
  2. Fatma Kurtuluş2,
  3. Onursal Gözkaya3,
  4. Muhammet Kazım Erol1,
  5. Ayşe Cengiz1,
  6. Melih Akıdan1,
  7. Aylin Yaman2
  1. 1 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
  2. 2 Department of Neurology, University of Health Sciences, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
  3. 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Antalya Private Life Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
  1. Correspondence to Dr Mehmet Bulut, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Kazim Karabekir Caddesi 07 100, Antalya, Turkey; bulutme73{at}yahoo.com

Abstract

Background/Aims To identify the retinal vascular pathologies in patients with Alzheimer’s type dementia (ATD) through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) imaging.

Methods Our study included 26 patients in the patient group, and age-matched and sex-matched 26 subjects in the control group. A detailed ophthalmological and neurological examination was performed for all subjects included in the study. The retinal, choroidal vascular structures and choroidal thickness (CT) of all subjects were analysed in a detailed way with a commercial spectral domain OCTA. Moreover, all participants underwent detailed neurological examination including Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) test to evaluate cognitive function.

Results In the group of patients with ATD, the MMSE score was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.001). The retinal vascular density was significantly lower than that of the control group in all zones (p<0.05). Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was significantly enlarged compared with the control group (p=0.001). CT was significantly lower in the group of patients with ATD (p<0.001). Outer retinal and choroidal flow rates were lower in the group of patients with ATD, while the difference was not significant (p>0.05). Furthermore, significant correlation was found between the MMSE and all vascular density parameters, CT parameter and FAZ tested with OCTA imaging (p<0.05).

Conclusions In patients with ATD, retinal and choroidal vascular pathologies detected through OCTA imaging can be used as a new biomarker in the early diagnosis of the disease, follow-up of its progression and in investigating the efficacy of the drugs.

  • diagnostic tests/Investigation
  • imaging
  • macula
  • public health
  • retina

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310476

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MB and FL carried out the study. MB, MA, AC, FK and AY finished data collection and statistical analysis. MB, OG and MKE wrote the paper and revised the manuscript.

    • Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent Obtained.

    • Ethics approval University of Health Sciences, Antalya Training and Research Hospital.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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