Retinal microvascular alterations detected by optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with inflammatory...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasingly recognised as a systemic inflammatory disorder, yet subclinical microvascular alterations beyond the gastrointestinal tract remain poorly characterised.

To evaluate retinal microvascular parameters measured by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with IBD compared with healthy controls.

Retinal microvascular parameters were evaluated by OCTA. Vessel density in the superficial and deep capillary plexus, foveal avascular zone metrics, and FD300 were analysed in patients with IBD and healthy controls.

A total of 114 participants were included (65 IBD, 49 controls). DCP vessel density was significantly reduced in patients with IBD across whole, hemispheric and perifoveal regions (all p < 0.001). SCP vessel density changes were more modest and were mainly observed in UC compared with controls (all p ≤ 0.030). FD300 was modestly reduced in IBD (p = 0.033). A modest negative correlation was observed between Crohn's Disease Activity Index and DCP whole vessel density (ρ = -0.335, p = 0.046).

Patients with IBD exhibit subclinical retinal microvascular alterations, most pronounced in the deep capillary plexus, that can be detected by OCTA, a non-invasive retinal imaging modality.