Herpes-simplex-virus-positive and varicella-zoster-virus-positive anterior uveitis: Analysis of retinal vessel area density between the affected and non-affected eye using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Purpose
Aim of the study is to analyze differences in the retinal microvasculature in eyes with herpes-simplex-virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster-virus (VZV)-positive anterior uveitis compared to the non-affected eyes using optical coherence angiography (OCTA).
Methods
38 patients in two groups with 21 HSV-positive patients and 17 VZV-positive patients (17 male, 21 female, mean age 56 years) were included in this monocentric, observational prospective case series. We measured vessel area density (VAD) in macula, optic disc, and peripapillary region in the anterior uveitis affected eye and in the non-affected eye. The mean deviation (MD) of the visual fields (VF) analyzed together with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) to evaluate the strength of correlation with the VAD parameters.
Results
The VAD of the macula was significant lower in the affected eye compared to the non-affected eye (33.1% ± 3.2% vs. 34.6% ± 2.8%, p = 0.002). Additionally, the VAD of the peripapillary superficial vascular plexus (SVC) differed significantly between lower in the affected and non-affected eye (47.8% ± 7.0% vs. 51% ± 5.7%, p=0.021).The mean RNFL of the affected eye correlated with the VAD of the macula (r=0.351, p=0.031) and the VAD of the peripapillary superficial vascular plexus (SVC) of the affected eye (r= 0.414, p=0.01).
Conclusion
Our findings showed comparable results to other studies with cytomegalovirus positive Posner-Schlossmann syndrome patients, that a lower VAD in the peripapillary SVC and the VAD of the macular might indicate vascular dysfunction as an early sign of glaucomatous damage.