CHOROIDAL VASCULARITY INDEX, RETINAL VASCULARITY, AND HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS IN PEDIATRIC SICKLE CELL MACULOPATHY

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Hematology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Sickle cell disease (SCD) can affect the eyes, potentially leading to complications like sickle cell maculopathy.
• The choroidal vascularity index (CVI) is a measure of vascularity in the choroid, a layer of blood vessels in the eye.
• Understanding ocular changes in pediatric SCD is crucial for early detection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the choroidal vascularity index (CVI) in children with sickle cell disease (SCD).
• To assess the association between CVI, retinal thickness, and retinal vasculature in pediatric SCD patients.
• To compare CVI in pediatric SCD patients with healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series comparing pediatric SCD patients with age-matched healthy controls.
• Automated machine learning algorithm used for Choroidal Vascularity Index (CVI) measurement.
• Retinal assessments included total retinal thickness and vessel density (VD).

Main Results:

• Pediatric SCD patients had a significantly lower mean CVI (54%) compared to healthy controls (69%).
• Lower CVI in SCD eyes was associated with reduced inferotemporal retinal vessel density (VD) and increased retinal thickness in specific macular areas.
• Eyes with lower CVI also showed significantly lower mean hemoglobin (Hgb) levels.

Conclusions:

• A decreased CVI in pediatric SCD patients suggests potential choroidal ischemia contributing to sickle cell maculopathy.
• CVI may serve as a valuable biomarker for assessing systemic disease activity and ocular involvement in pediatric SCD.
• Further research can explore CVI's role in monitoring disease progression and treatment efficacy.