Quantitative Analysis of the Macular and Peripapillary Capillary Network with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Chinese Adolescents: The Tuyou County Pediatric Eye (TYPE) Study

Yajun Yang,1,* Guisen Zhang,2,* Song Zhang,3,* Xiaoyan Bian,1 Lao Qi,2 Shixuan Guo,2 Bozhou Zhang,1 Lei Liu4 1Cataract Department, Baotou Chaoju Eye Hospital, Baotou, 014060, People’s Republic of China; 2Retina Department, Hohhot Chaoju Eye Hospital, Hohhot, 010050, People’s Republic of China; 3Cataract Department, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bozhou ZhangBaotou Chaoju Eye Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 014060, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail zhangbozhou@chaojueye.cnLei LiuThe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail liuleijiao@163.comAim: To use OCTA to collect normative data describing the vascular perfusion of the macula and optic disc in adolescents.Methods: This cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted from Oct 15, 2019, to Nov 30, 2019, in Tuyou County, Baotou, China. All eligible participants underwent a comprehensive questionnaire and ocular examination. The vascular perfusion of the macula and optic disc was determined using a spectral-domain OCTA device.Results: A total of 570 anatomically normal eyes without a history of pathologic disease from 570 adolescents (mean ± SD age, 15.1 ± 1.9 years; 298 girls [52.3%]) were enrolled. In the macula, the mean ± SD perifoveal perfusion density (PD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) was 44.2% ± 4.37% and 50.74% ± 3.98%, respectively. The mean ± SD foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was 0.32 mm2 ± 0.11 mm2. The mean ± SD peripapillary vessel density (PVD) was 54.98% ± 3.53%. The inferior hemiretinal SCP-PD, DCP-PD, FAZ, and PVD was larger in girls than boys (P = 0.006, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.006, respectively) Multiple regression analysis confirmed that sex independently affected the DCP-PD, FAZ, and PVD (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.029, respectively) and that axial length (AL) independently affected the FAZ area and PVD (P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively).Conclusion: Quantitative studies of the perifoveal vasculature in adolescents should consider the patient’s sex and AL. Our findings may provide useful information for the understanding and the management of retinal perfusion in Chinese adolescents.Keywords: macula, optic disc, optical coherence tomography angiography, retinal perfusion