Key result
Patients with coronary artery disease had significantly lower conjunctival vessel area density compared to controls, with each standard deviation decrease in density associated with a 2.71-fold increased odds of having CAD.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to quantify conjunctival microvascular characteristics using optical coherence tomographic angiography and evaluate their relationship with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.
Does assessment of conjunctival microvessels using OCTA correlate with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease?
Cross-Sectional (n=228)
No
Does assessment of conjunctival microvessels using OCTA correlate with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease?
Conjunctival microvascular characteristics assessed by OCTA, such as lower vessel density and higher lacunarity, are significantly associated with the presence and severity of CAD, suggesting a potential novel non-invasive screening tool.
Conjunctival OCTA metrics were associated with CAD; hypothesis-generating for noninvasive detection pending prospective validation.
Background To quantify conjunctival microvascular characteristics obtained by optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) and investigate their relationship with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods This cross-sectional study included 103 consecutive CAD patients confirmed by coronary angiography and 125 non-CAD controls. The temporal conjunctivas along the limbus of each participant were scanned using OCTA. Quantification of conjunctival microvasculature was performed by AngioTool software. The severity of the disease was evaluated using SYNTAX and Gensini scores. Results Compared to the controls, the CAD group exhibited significantly lower vessel area density (30.22 ± 3.34 vs. 26.70 ± 4.43%, p < 0.001), lower vessel length density (6.39 ± 0.77 vs. 5.71 ± 0.89/m, p < 0.001), lower junction density (3.44 ± 0.56 vs. 3.05 ± 0.63/m, p < 0.001), and higher lacunarity (0.11 ± 0.03 vs. 0.14 ± 0.05, p < 0.001). Among all participants, lower vessel area density, lower vessel length density, lower junction density, and higher lacunarity were associated with greater odds of having CAD; the adjusted ORs (95% confidence intervals) per one SD decrease were 2.71 (1.71, 4.29), 2.51(1.61, 3.90), 2.06 (1.39, 3.05), and 0.36 (0.23, 0.58), respectively. Among CAD patients, junction density was negatively associated with the Gensini score (r=-0.359, p = 0.037) and the Syntax score (r=-0.350, p = 0.042) in women but not in men (p > 0.05). Conclusions Conjunctival microvascular characteristics were significantly associated with the presence of CAD. Junction density significantly associated with the severity of CAD among women patients.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Liu et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in Coronary artery disease (n=228). Coronary artery disease vs. Non-CAD controls was evaluated on Conjunctival vessel area density (%) (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.71-4.29, p=<0.001). Patients with coronary artery disease had significantly lower conjunctival vessel area density compared to controls, with each standard deviation decrease in density associated with a 2.71-fold increased odds of having CAD.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: