NONINVASIVE EVALUATION OF CHORIORETINAL AND PERIPAPILLARY MICROVASCULAR ALTERATIONS IN ESSENTIAL THROMBOCYTHEMIA
Meryem Feyza Cicek1, Turker Oba2, Fatma Feyza Nur Keskin Perk3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Dünyagöz Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|December 30, 2025
Summary
Essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients show subclinical retinal microvascular changes, particularly in the deep capillary plexus and peripapillary area. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) can detect these early signs in ET.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Hematology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with increased thrombotic risk.
- Microvascular alterations may occur in ET, but their early detection in the retina is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate retinal, peripapillary, and choroidal microvasculature in ET patients using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
- To identify potential early microvascular changes associated with essential thrombocythemia.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, cross-sectional study comparing 20 ET patients with 20 healthy controls.
- Spectral-domain OCTA was used to assess vessel density (VD) in retinal plexuses, radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC), and choriocapillaris (CC).
- Evaluated structural parameters including central macular thickness (CMT) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL).
Main Results:
- ET patients had significantly increased CMT.
- Reduced peripapillary and deep capillary plexus (DCP) VD was observed in ET patients.
- Superficial retinal and choroidal vasculature showed no significant differences.
Conclusions:
- ET is associated with subclinical retinal microvascular alterations, primarily in the DCP and peripapillary regions.
- OCTA is a sensitive, non-invasive tool for detecting early retinal changes in essential thrombocythemia.
