Retinal vascular density in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome using optical coherence tomography angiography

Session Details

Session Title: Cornea & Miscellaneous
Session Date/Time: Saturday 22/02/2020 | 08:30-11:10
Paper Time: 10:32
Venue: Auditorium des Ministres.

First Author: T.Loureiro PORTUGAL
Co Author(s): D. Lopes  S. Barros  N. Marques  A. Vide Escada  P. Telles Freitas  N. Campos  

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate retinal morphological and vascular findings in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and to determine the correlation between vascular density and the severity of OSAS.

Setting:

Single-center prospective study including patients with OSAS confirmed by polysomnography.

Methods:

Patients were divided into three groups according to the severity of OSAS, which was defined using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) as mild (less than 15), moderate (15-30), or severe (more than 30). The retinal nerve fiber layers thickness and vascular densities, in both macula and optic disc, were compared between three groups. The correlations between vascular density and clinical features were also determined.

Results:

The study included 30 eyes of patients with OSAS.  The mean age was 64,73 ± 7,83 years. Four patients had mild OSAS, five patients had moderate OSAS and six patients had severe OSAS. There were no morphological differences between groups, in both macula and optic disc. The peripapillary vessel density was inferior in the severe OSAS group (40,4±4,2%) comparing with the mild OSAS group (p=0,02) and the moderate OSAS group (p=0,04). The peripapillary vessel density were significantly and negatively correlated with AHI (p=0,02, r=-0,737) and directly correlated with the lowest percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2)(p=0,024, r=0,579).

Conclusions:

The study shows that in OSAS patients, the peripapillary vessel density decreased with greater disease severity. The lowest percutaneous oxygen saturation and the apnea-hypopnea index are correlated with peripapillary vessel density. Our results seem to reinforce the vascular theory for glaucoma development in OSAS.

Financial Disclosure: