Rita Laiginhas1,2, Marta Guimarães3,4,5, Mário Nora3,4,5, João Chibante2, Manuel Falcão6,7,8. 1. PDICSS, Faculty of Medicine of Porto University (FMUP), Porto, Portugal. 2. Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar de Entre o Douro e Vouga, Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal. 3. Department of General Surgery, Centro Hospitalar de Entre Douro e Vouga, Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal. 4. Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Endocrine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. 5. Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Science Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. 6. Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário São João, Porto, Portugal. falcao@med.up.pt. 7. Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine of Porto University (FMUP), Porto, Portugal. falcao@med.up.pt. 8. Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal. falcao@med.up.pt.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Basic science research has shown that obesity is associated with microvascular endothelial dysfunction. However, whether bariatric surgery impacts the microvascular networks has yet to be explored. This study sought to evaluate the impact of gastric bypass in the retinal microvasculature. METHODS: Patients with obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) scheduled to gastric bypass were consecutively recruited and included in the study. Patients were evaluated before surgery and 6-12 months after the intervention. Macular microvascular properties were evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography. Foveal avascular zone area, perimeter, circularity, and foveal and perifoveal vascular density (in both superficial and deep vascular plexus) were computed. RESULTS: In total, 40 eyes from 20 patients were included (30% male, mean BMI 43.4 ± 4.5 kg/m2 (range 35.7-51.4). From these, 45% were diabetic before bariatric surgery. After surgery, there was a significant increase in foveal avascular zone circularity (from 0.85 ± 0.09 to 0.92 ± 0.07, p = 0.001) and vascular density in perifoveal deep vascular plexus (from 0.69 ± 0.12 to 0.73 ± 0.12; p = 0.04), whereas foveal avascular zone perimeter decreased (from 2.34 ± 0.37 to 2.20 ± 0.35 mm, p = 0.007). Preoperative diabetic status was not a predictor of microvascular retinal changes after bariatric surgery. However, after multivariate adjustments, the increased drop in HbA1c after the surgery remained associated with the increase in perifoveal vascular density in the deep vascular plexus (B = 0.05; 95% CI 0.05-0.10; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Gastric bypass improves retinal microvascular perfusion as demonstrated by the increased parafoveal vascular density in the deep vascular plexus, increased foveal avascular zone circularity, and decreased foveal avascular zone perimeter.
PURPOSE: Basic science research has shown that obesity is associated with microvascular endothelial dysfunction. However, whether bariatric surgery impacts the microvascular networks has yet to be explored. This study sought to evaluate the impact of gastric bypass in the retinal microvasculature. METHODS:Patients with obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) scheduled to gastric bypass were consecutively recruited and included in the study. Patients were evaluated before surgery and 6-12 months after the intervention. Macular microvascular properties were evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography. Foveal avascular zone area, perimeter, circularity, and foveal and perifoveal vascular density (in both superficial and deep vascular plexus) were computed. RESULTS: In total, 40 eyes from 20 patients were included (30% male, mean BMI 43.4 ± 4.5 kg/m2 (range 35.7-51.4). From these, 45% were diabetic before bariatric surgery. After surgery, there was a significant increase in foveal avascular zone circularity (from 0.85 ± 0.09 to 0.92 ± 0.07, p = 0.001) and vascular density in perifoveal deep vascular plexus (from 0.69 ± 0.12 to 0.73 ± 0.12; p = 0.04), whereas foveal avascular zone perimeter decreased (from 2.34 ± 0.37 to 2.20 ± 0.35 mm, p = 0.007). Preoperative diabetic status was not a predictor of microvascular retinal changes after bariatric surgery. However, after multivariate adjustments, the increased drop in HbA1c after the surgery remained associated with the increase in perifoveal vascular density in the deep vascular plexus (B = 0.05; 95% CI 0.05-0.10; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Gastric bypass improves retinal microvascular perfusion as demonstrated by the increased parafoveal vascular density in the deep vascular plexus, increased foveal avascular zone circularity, and decreased foveal avascular zone perimeter.
Authors: Amir H Kashani; Chieh-Li Chen; Jin K Gahm; Fang Zheng; Grace M Richter; Philip J Rosenfeld; Yonggang Shi; Ruikang K Wang Journal: Prog Retin Eye Res Date: 2017-07-29 Impact factor: 21.198