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Peripheral capillary network enlargement in diabetic maculopathy
Author(s) -
RADOI C,
ZAMBROWSKI O,
DUCASSE A,
ARNDT C
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2012.4728.x
Subject(s) - medicine , peripheral , maculopathy , diabetic retinopathy , ophthalmology , panretinal photocoagulation , edema , diabetic macular edema , macular edema , retinal , retinopathy , diabetes mellitus , surgery , endocrinology
Purpose Diabetic macular edema has been associated with increased intravitreal levels of VEGF. Therefore, ischemia is probably part of the physiopathology. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the rarefaction of peripheral capillaries. Methods A retrospective analysis of large field angiographic images with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (OPTOS, Edinburgh, Scotland) was performed between Novembre 2011 and March 2012was performed. After excluding patients with previous panretinal laser photocoagulation and those with peripheral non‐analyzable images, the peripheral area on early phase images in 112 patients were evaluated. 38 had a diabetic maculopathy and 78 served as non diabetic controls. The enlargement of the peripheral capillary network was graded from 1 to 3 (1: normal, 2: moderate, 3: severe). Results A total of 43 patients were excluded because of panretinal photocoagulation in the diabetic group, possible VEGF involvement in the control group and poor image quality in either group.When comparing the remaining patients of the two groups, no significant difference in peripheral capillary network changes was observed. Conclusion The peripheral capillary rarefaction is difficult to analyze on conventional angiography (peripheral images are usually obtained in the late phase). This angiographic finding is probably not encountered more often in diabetic maculopathy than other retinal diseases. It remains to be demonstrated in which cases peripheral capillary rarefaction should be considered as significant and whether targeted laser treatment as a part of diabetic macular edema therapy should be discussed.