TY - JOUR
T1 - Age-related alterations in retinal tissue perfusion and volumetric vessel density
AU - Lin, Ying
AU - Jiang, Hong
AU - Liu, Yi
AU - Gameiro, Giovana Rosa
AU - Gregori, Giovanni
AU - Dong, Chuanhui
AU - Rundek, Tatjana
AU - Wang, Jianhua
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by North American Neuro-ophthalmology Society, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, NIH Center Grant P30 EY014801, and a grant from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB). Giovanni Gregori, PhD, has research support from Carl Zeiss Meditec. A visiting scholar award for Ying Lin, MD, PhD, was provided by the China Scholarship Council. All other authors of the manuscript have no proprietary interest in any materials or methods described in this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Authors.
PY - 2019/2
Y1 - 2019/2
N2 - PURPOSE. To determine age-related alterations in the retinal tissue perfusion (RTP) and volumetric vessel density (VVD) in healthy subjects. METHODS. Total 148 healthy subjects (age 18 to 83 years) were enrolled and divided into four groups (G1, <35 years; G2, 35 ~ 49 years; G3, 50 ~ 64 years; and G4, ≥65 years). The RTP and VVD were measured at the macula. The RTP was calculated as the blood flow supplying the macular area (π 2.5 mm) divided by the perfused tissue volume of the inner retina from the inner limiting membrane to the outer plexiform layer. The VVD of the macula (π 2.5 mm) was calculated as the vessel density divided by the corresponding tissue volume. RESULTS. The RTP and VVD of the retinal vascular network and deep vascular plexus (DVP) reached a peak in G2. Compared to G2, G4 had significantly lower RTP and VVD of DVP (P < 0.05). After 35 years old, age was negatively related to the RTP (r = -0.26, P = 0.02) and VVD of the DVP (r = -0.47, P < 0.001). However, age was positively related to VVD of the superficial vascular plexus (SVP; r = 0.24, P = 0.04) in subjects aged more than 35 years. The RTP was correlated to VVD measurements (r = 0.23-0.37, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS. This is the first study to reveal the age-related alterations in the RTP and VVD during normal aging in a healthy population. Decreased RTP and VVD in the DVP along with increased VVD in the SVP may represent a characteristic pattern of normal aging in the healthy population.
AB - PURPOSE. To determine age-related alterations in the retinal tissue perfusion (RTP) and volumetric vessel density (VVD) in healthy subjects. METHODS. Total 148 healthy subjects (age 18 to 83 years) were enrolled and divided into four groups (G1, <35 years; G2, 35 ~ 49 years; G3, 50 ~ 64 years; and G4, ≥65 years). The RTP and VVD were measured at the macula. The RTP was calculated as the blood flow supplying the macular area (π 2.5 mm) divided by the perfused tissue volume of the inner retina from the inner limiting membrane to the outer plexiform layer. The VVD of the macula (π 2.5 mm) was calculated as the vessel density divided by the corresponding tissue volume. RESULTS. The RTP and VVD of the retinal vascular network and deep vascular plexus (DVP) reached a peak in G2. Compared to G2, G4 had significantly lower RTP and VVD of DVP (P < 0.05). After 35 years old, age was negatively related to the RTP (r = -0.26, P = 0.02) and VVD of the DVP (r = -0.47, P < 0.001). However, age was positively related to VVD of the superficial vascular plexus (SVP; r = 0.24, P = 0.04) in subjects aged more than 35 years. The RTP was correlated to VVD measurements (r = 0.23-0.37, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS. This is the first study to reveal the age-related alterations in the RTP and VVD during normal aging in a healthy population. Decreased RTP and VVD in the DVP along with increased VVD in the SVP may represent a characteristic pattern of normal aging in the healthy population.
KW - Age
KW - Retina
KW - Retinal microcirculation
KW - Retinal tissue perfusion (rtp)
KW - Volumetric vessel density (vvd)
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U2 - 10.1167/iovs.18-25864
DO - 10.1167/iovs.18-25864
M3 - Article
C2 - 30786280
AN - SCOPUS:85061991350
VL - 60
SP - 685
EP - 693
JO - Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
JF - Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
SN - 0146-0404
IS - 2
ER -