Beyond The Lungs : Investigating Ocular Changes in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients | ||||
Minia Journal of Medical Research | ||||
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 19 January 2025 | ||||
Document Type: Original Article | ||||
DOI: 10.21608/mjmr.2025.345060.1850 | ||||
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Authors | ||||
Ahmed H. Kasem1; Omnia Salah Eldin Mahmoud Ahmed ![]() | ||||
1Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt. | ||||
2Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt. | ||||
Abstract | ||||
Bckground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and controllable condition characterized by an augmented inflammatory response of the airways and lungs to noxious gases. Aim: To evaluate macular vascular density according to severity of COPD in stable patients, and the relationship between pulmonary parameters and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) findings. Patients and methods: This was a case control hospital-based study conducted on 120 persons (60 cases and 60 age and gender-matched control group) at Chest Diseases Department at Cardiothoracic Minia University Hospital and Ophthalmology Department at Minia University Hospital of Ophthalmology and Eye Surgery during the period from January 2023 to September 2024. Results: Concerning the correlation among patient age, smoking index, dyspnea grade, history of exacerbations, duration of COPD, PCO2 levels, hypoxia grade, FEV1 and FVC classifications, and FAZ. The results indicated that an elevation in the smoking index, dyspnea grade, history of exacerbations, duration of COPD, level of hypoxia, category of FVC, and a reduction in FEV1 significantly augmented FAZ. After controlling for additional covariates, the grade of hypoxia emerged as the most significant predictor of change in FAZ, with p<0.05. Conclusion: Patients with severe COPD exhibit diminished foveal vascular density values in the superficial capillary plexus. It also disclosed substantial connections between pulmonary assessments and OCTA values. Ophthalmologists must recognize retinal microvascular alterations in COPD patients, and OCTA may offer comprehensive insights into the retinal vasculature's significance in the monitoring and progression of COPD. Additional prospective studies are required to validate this association. | ||||
Keywords | ||||
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; foveal avascular zone; supersicial capillary plexus; deep capillary plexus; optical coherence tomography angiography | ||||
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