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Structural and vascular assessment of the optic nerve head and macula in chronic Chagas disease
Cristiana L M Agra1,2, Camila V Ventura3,4,5, Letícia D da Fonte3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Altino Ventura Foundation (FAV), Avenida Maurício de Nassau, 2075, Recife, PE, 52171-011, Brazil. clmagra@gmail.com.
Insights
This study found no significant preclinical structural or vascular changes in the optic nerve head and macula of patients with Chagas disease (CD). Cardiovascular dysfunction from chronic CD does not appear to affect these ocular structures.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic infection with potential cardiac involvement.
- Cardiovascular disease is a known risk factor for ocular neuropathies and maculopathies.
- The ocular effects of chronic Chagas disease require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate preclinical structural and vascular changes in the optic nerve head (ONH) and macula of patients with chronic Chagas disease.
- To compare ocular parameters between Chagas disease patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen patients with chronic Chagas disease and 19 healthy controls were enrolled.
- Evaluations included optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography, and Laguna ONhE® software.
- Key parameters assessed: glaucoma discriminant factor, RNFL thickness, GCC thickness, peripapillary vascular density, macular thickness, foveal avascular zone area, and capillary plexus vascular density.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in any of the studied structural or vascular parameters between the Chagas disease group and the control group.
- Preclinical changes in the optic nerve head and macula were not detected in patients with chronic Chagas disease.
Conclusions:
- Cardiovascular dysfunction associated with chronic Chagas disease does not appear to cause significant preclinical structural or vascular damage to the optic nerve head and macula.
- These findings provide preliminary insights into the ocular manifestations of Chagas disease and its systemic complications.
Abstract:
Chagas disease (CD), a parasitic infection, may have ocular repercussions in its cardiologic form, since a history of heart disease of other etiologies already has been established as a risk factor for neuropathies and maculopathies. The aim of the present study was to investigate preclinical structural and vascular optic nerve head (ONH) and macular parameters in patients with chronic CD. Nineteen patients with CD and 19 healthy subjects were evaluated with optical coherence tomography, optical coherence tomography angiography, and Laguna ONhE® software. The main outcome measures were the glaucoma discriminant factor, average peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, macular ganglion cell complex thickness, peripapillary vascular density (VD), foveal and parafoveal thickness, foveal avascular zone area, and total foveal and parafoveal VD from the superficial and deep capillary plexus that were compared between the two groups. No significant differences were observed among the studied variables. Although our findings suggested that the cardiovascular dysfunction resulting from chronic CD does not seem to cause significant structural or vascular preclinical changes to the ONH and the macula, the results herein benefit this patient population and may provide important preliminary information about the ocular impairment caused by the condition and its possible systemic complications.
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