Anatomical and Functional Reflections of Vascular Changes in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Investigating the retinal vascular changes of retinitis pigmentosa patients in order to determine the anatomical, functional effects and the correlation between them, comparing them with healthy volunteers. Methods: One eye of 25 RP cases and 25 healthy volunteers were included in this cross-sectional, comparative clinical study. After routine ophthalmological examination, pattern electroretinography (pERG) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) examinations were performed. Results: Significant thinning was observed in all quadrants in the RP group (p<0.05 for all values) in foveal, parafoveal and perifoveal macular thickness measurement, In pERG analysis, prolonged P50 and N95 wave implicit time and decreased wave amplitudes were determined in patients with RP (p<0.05 for all values). Superficial and deep capillary network vessel densities measured by OCTA were significantly lower in the RP group in all quadrants (p<0.001); FAZ parameters (area, perimeter and acircularity index (AI)) were higher in the RP group (p=0.042, p=0.001, p=0.014) and vascular density (FD) around FAZ was lower in the RP group compared to control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Vascular damage contributes to pathological process in RP patients. This vascular damage also affects the anatomical features of the retina. Using OCTA, a non-invasive imaging technique, we can estimate the stage, progression and prognosis of the disease in RP patients. İn non-advanced RP patients, the pERG waves are unsuitable for evaluation. Therefore pERG may not be suitable for functional evaluation in RP patients.