Associations between the retinal/choroidal microvasculature and carotid plaque in patients with CAD: An OCTA study

Background To investigate the associations between retinal/choroidal microvasculature and carotid plaque in patients with CAD assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods This study included 127 CAD patients with and 79 without carotid plaque. Each patient had both OCTA taken and digitized to determine retinal/choroidal thickness, vessel density and flow area and carotid ultrasound for carotid plaque size and stability measurement. The superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), out retina and choriocapillaris vessel density, out retina and choriocapillaris flow area, and full retina thickness were analyzed in the fovea centered 6 × 6 mm area. The association between OCTA measurements and carotid plaque characteristics in patients with CAD were evaluated. Results The duration of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) was significantly longer in CAD patients with carotid plaque than that without (p < 0.001). The mean values for vessel density SCP and DCP (except fovea zone), and choriocapillaris nasal zone were significantly lower in plaque group (p < 0.05). Negative correlations between the carotid plaque width and vessel density SCP and DCP (except fovea zone) (p < 0.05) were also found in this study. Conclusions In patients with CAD, carotid plaque, a risk factor and marker of atherosclerosis and stenosis, is significantly and independently associated with retinal and choroidal microvascular changes by OCTA.