Retinal Microvascular Resistance Estimated From Waveform Analysis Is Significantly Higher in Diabetic Retinopathy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Diabetology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common diabetes complication affecting vision.
• Early detection and monitoring of DR are crucial for managing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare retinal blood flow and vascular resistance in DR eyes versus healthy eyes.
• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) parameters in DR.

Main Methods:

• Laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) was used to measure mean blur rate (MBR) and total capillary resistance (TCR).
• Measurements were taken in 50 normal eyes and 87 DR eyes across different DR severity stages.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess TCR's diagnostic accuracy for DR.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in MBR was found between normal and DR eyes.
• TCR was significantly higher in DR eyes (excluding proliferative DR) compared to normal eyes.
• TCR demonstrated moderate diagnostic accuracy for DR with an area under the ROC curve of 0.751.

Conclusions:

• Total capillary resistance (TCR) measurement offers valuable pathological information for diabetic retinopathy (DR).
• TCR, alongside MBR, can enhance the diagnostic assessment of DR.
• TCR values may aid in predicting DR onset and disease progression.