Genetic influence on choroidal vascularity index.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Genetics
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) is a measure of vascularization in the choroid.
• Understanding the heritability of ocular vascular traits is crucial for identifying genetic predispositions to eye diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the heritability of the macular choroidal vascularity index (CVI).
• To investigate the genetic influence on total choroidal area (TCA) and luminal area (LA).

Main Methods:

• Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with enhanced depth imaging was used to measure TCA, LA, and CVI in 373 healthy twins.
• Multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of age, sex, axial length, hypertension, diabetes, alcohol consumption, and smoking status.

Main Results:

• Lower CVI was associated with older age, higher intraocular pressure, higher diastolic blood pressure, and lower pulse pressure.
• The covariate-adjusted heritability estimates for CVI, TCA, and LA were 0.716 ± 0.091, 0.691 ± 0.089, and 0.634 ± 0.100, respectively.
• These findings indicate a substantial genetic contribution to these ocular vascular parameters.

Conclusions:

• Macular choroidal vascularity index (CVI), total choroidal area (TCA), and luminal area (LA) are highly heritable traits.
• Genetic factors play a significant role in determining the vascularization of the choroid.