Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2025
Evaluation of Capillary and Other Vessel Contribution to Macular Perfusion Density Measured with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: February 18, 2022
Diminished choroidal blood flow in hypertensive and preeclamptic third trimester pregnancies using optical coherence
Alaa E Fayed1,2, Mohamed M Thabet3, Marwa Metwally Salama1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Kasr Al-Ainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to compare choroidal adjusted flow index (AFI) in healthy, hypertensive & preeclamptic pregnancies using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
Methods:
In this prospective study, healthy, hypertensive & preeclamptic third trimester pregnant women underwent OCTA imaging. 3x3 & 6x6 mm choriocapillaris slabs were exported and the parafoveal area was marked by two concentric ETDRS circles at 1 & 3 mm, centered on the foveal avascular zone. Parafoveal AFI was calculated as a parameter of choroidal blood flow.
Results:
Fifteen eyes of fifteen women per group were recruited (45 eyes). AFI was significantly lower in the preeclamptic compared to the healthy & hypertensive groups (Tukey HSD: <0.001 in both groups on 3x3 mm, and 0.02 & 0.04 in 6x6 mm scans), and in the hypertensive compared to the healthy group (0.005 & 0.03 in 3x3 & 6x6 mm scans respectively).
Conclusions:
Pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia revealed the lowest choroidal blood flow on OCTA followed by pregnancies with systemic hypertension compared to healthy pregnancies. We provide in-vivo documentation of choroidal ischemia, highlighting its culpability in hypertensive and preeclamptic retinochoroidal pathology, and the possibility of utilizing choroidal blood flow on OCTA as a precursor for disease progression.
