{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,25]],"date-time":"2026-04-25T07:03:25Z","timestamp":1777100605523,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]],"date-time":"2025-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754006400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Scientific Research Project of Nantong Health Commission","award":["No. MS2022066"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["No. MS2022066"]}]},{"name":"Nantong University Special Research Fund for Clinical Medicine","award":["No. 2023LY025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["No. 2023LY025"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>It was to assess changes in structural parameters in early diabetic retinopathy (DR).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Materials and methodologies<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study is a retrospective analysis that included patients with early DR admitted to the Affiliated Third Hospital of Nantong University from January 2024 to December 2024. The participants were divided into the non-DR group (NDR group) and the non-proliferative DR group (NPDR group, which included mild, moderate, and severe subgroups) using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) technology. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare parameter differences among the groups.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A total of 208 diabetic patients were included (55 in the NDR group, 153 in the NPDR group) and 51 healthy controls. The results showed that the FAZ area in the NPDR group was significantly larger than that in the control group (CG) (mean difference: +0.38 \u00b1 0.10\u2009mm<jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>, 95% CI [0.25-0.51], <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic> &lt; 0.001), and it was positively correlated with disease severity (trend test <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic> &lt; 0.001). Relative to the CG, NDR group and various stages of NPDR group exhibited greatly lower values in choroidal vascular index (CVI), peripapillary vascular density (ppVD), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFL), vascular density (VD) in both the superficial and deep retinal vascular complexes, total perfusion area (PA), small vessel density (SVD), disc area, vascular density (FD300) within a 300 \u00b5m radius of the foveal center, and capillary plexus blood flow density (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>&lt;0.05). NPDR group showed progressively lower values than NDR group, with severity increasing as the condition worsened (<jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>&lt;0.05).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>SS-OCTA can effectively monitor changes in structural parameters and serves as a valuable tool for evaluating the progression of early DR.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0327770","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]],"date-time":"2025-08-01T17:49:40Z","timestamp":1754070580000},"page":"e0327770","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Assessment of retinal and choroidal structural and microvascular changes in early diabetic retinopathy using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Jin","family":"Jiang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiaole","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-6669-0497","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hongjun","family":"Bian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0327770.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101206","DOI":"10.1016\/j.preteyeres.2023.101206","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography in diabetic retinopathy","volume":"97","author":"NK Waheed","year":"2023","journal-title":"Prog Retin Eye Res"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327770.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"558","DOI":"10.1016\/j.survophthal.2024.03.004","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography in diabetic retinopathy: A major review","volume":"69","author":"H Nouri","year":"2024","journal-title":"Surv Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327770.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"893","DOI":"10.1016\/j.survophthal.2024.06.006","article-title":"Multimodal imaging in diabetic retinopathy and macular edema: An update about biomarkers","volume":"69","author":"M Parravano","year":"2024","journal-title":"Surv Ophthalmol"},{"key":"pone.0327770.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101292","DOI":"10.1016\/j.preteyeres.2024.101292","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography of the retina and choroid in systemic diseases","volume":"103","author":"J Chua","year":"2024","journal-title":"Prog Retin Eye Res"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327770.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"326","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics14030326","article-title":"Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography as a Diagnostic Tool for Diabetic Retinopathy","volume":"14","author":"N Wijesingha","year":"2024","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327770.ref006","first-page":"398","article-title":"Advancing Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis: Leveraging Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging with Convolutional Neural Networks","volume":"67","author":"HS Ahmed","year":"2023","journal-title":"Rom J Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0327770.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10167","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms241210167","article-title":"The Role of Diabetic Choroidopathy in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy","volume":"24","author":"L Scuderi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Mol Sci"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0327770.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1405","DOI":"10.3390\/biomedicines12071405","article-title":"Advances in Structural and Functional Retinal Imaging and Biomarkers for Early Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy","volume":"12","author":"Z Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Biomedicines"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0327770.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1620","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics13091620","article-title":"Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Retinal Vascular Disorders","volume":"13","author":"CJT Ong","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327770.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1177\/24741264221083873","article-title":"Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Pediatric Retinal Disorders","volume":"6","author":"A Ponugoti","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Vitreoretin Dis"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0327770.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"752","DOI":"10.1111\/aos.15110","article-title":"Imaging diabetic retinal disease: clinical imaging requirements","volume":"100","author":"V Schreur","year":"2022","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0327770.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1177\/09544119231213443","article-title":"Artificial intelligence and hemodynamic studies in optical coherence tomography angiography for diabetic retinopathy evaluation: A review","volume":"238","author":"K Pradeep","year":"2024","journal-title":"Proc Inst Mech Eng H"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327770.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2406","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12062406","article-title":"Retinal Ischaemia in Diabetic Retinopathy: Understanding and Overcoming a Therapeutic Challenge","volume":"12","author":"AA Mohite","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327770.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2068","DOI":"10.1177\/11206721231167458","article-title":"Sensitivity and specificity of optical coherence tomography angiography for diagnosis and classification of diabetic retinopathy; a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"33","author":"E Namvar","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur J Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0327770.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1038\/s41433-021-01825-2","article-title":"Perspectives on diabetic retinopathy from advanced retinal vascular imaging","volume":"36","author":"JX Ong","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eye (Lond)"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0327770.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"482","DOI":"10.1080\/08164622.2024.2323603","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography in the diagnosis of ocular disease","volume":"107","author":"M Kalloniatis","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin Exp Optom"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0327770.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1820","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics13101820","article-title":"Clinical Use of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Retinal Diseases","volume":"13","author":"F Bat\u0131o\u011flu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327770.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics14030321","article-title":"Advantages of the Utilization of Wide-Field OCT and Wide-Field OCT Angiography in Clinical Practice","volume":"14","author":"M Gaw\u0119cki","year":"2024","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"key":"pone.0327770.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1116391","DOI":"10.3389\/fopht.2023.1116391","article-title":"Advances in application of swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography in diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy","volume":"3","author":"J Zhang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Ophthalmol (Lausanne)"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0327770.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1684","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics12071684","article-title":"Progress of Imaging in Diabetic Retinopathy-From the Past to the Present","volume":"12","author":"S Horie","year":"2022","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0327770.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.5603\/EP.a2022.0085","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography for assessment of changes of the retina and choroid in different stages of diabetic retinopathy and their relationship with diabetic nephropathy","volume":"74","author":"Y Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Endokrynol Pol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327770.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"903","DOI":"10.1007\/s40123-024-00905-2","article-title":"Clinical Utilisation of Wide-Field Optical Coherence Tomography and Angiography: A Narrative Review","volume":"13","author":"AHK Nissen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ophthalmol Ther"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0327770.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"326","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics13020326","article-title":"Deep Learning in Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography: Current Progress, Challenges, and Future Directions","volume":"13","author":"D Yang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327770.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1120","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina59061120","article-title":"Quantitative Parameters Relevant for Diabetic Macular Edema Evaluation by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography","volume":"59","author":"A-S Laz\u0103r","year":"2023","journal-title":"Medicina (Kaunas)"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0327770.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"896","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina59050896","article-title":"Pathological Neurovascular Unit Mapping onto Multimodal Imaging in Diabetic Macular Edema","volume":"59","author":"T Murakami","year":"2023","journal-title":"Medicina (Kaunas)"},{"issue":"22","key":"pone.0327770.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3407","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics13223407","article-title":"A Complete Review of Automatic Detection, Segmentation, and Quantification of Neovascularization in Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Images","volume":"13","author":"YZ Tun","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diagnostics (Basel)"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327770.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"692","DOI":"10.1038\/s41433-021-01750-4","article-title":"Disentangling the association between retinal non-perfusion and anti-VEGF agents in diabetic retinopathy","volume":"36","author":"I Chatziralli","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eye (Lond)"},{"key":"pone.0327770.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1110166","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2023.1110166","article-title":"Clinical utility of ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography angiography for retinal vein occlusions","volume":"10","author":"T-E Tan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Med (Lausanne)"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327770.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"695","DOI":"10.1016\/j.survophthal.2024.08.007","article-title":"Detection of choroidal vascular features in diabetic patients without clinically visible diabetic retinopathy by optical coherence tomography angiography: A systemic review and meta-analysis","volume":"70","author":"Q Zhao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Surv Ophthalmol"},{"key":"pone.0327770.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103777","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pdpdt.2023.103777","article-title":"Evaluation of Posterior Ocular Blood Flow in Diabetic Retinopathy Patients Without Macular Edema Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography","volume":"44","author":"GG Erayman","year":"2023","journal-title":"Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0327770.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2150","DOI":"10.3390\/biomedicines12092150","article-title":"Retinal Imaging-Based Oculomics: Artificial Intelligence as a Tool in the Diagnosis of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases","volume":"12","author":"LA Ghenciu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Biomedicines"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0327770.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3490","DOI":"10.3390\/s22093490","article-title":"The Role of Different Retinal Imaging Modalities in Predicting Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy: A Survey","volume":"22","author":"M Elsharkawy","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sensors (Basel)"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327770","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]],"date-time":"2025-08-01T17:49:45Z","timestamp":1754070585000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327770"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Yalong","family":"Dang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327770","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]]}}}