{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T01:30:59Z","timestamp":1772328659633,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]],"date-time":"2022-06-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1656374400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>A hypercoagulable state has been reported to cause potential sight-threatening ischemia in patients suffering from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to determine whether vessel density (VD), as measured by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A), has insights into retinal and choriocapillaris vascular changes in patients affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Hundred and fifty two patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled in this observational, retrospective, controlled study. A control group of 60 healthy subjects was selected for statistical comparisons. Raw OCT and OCT-A data were exported and 3D datasets were analyzed to determine VD.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Hundred and forty eyes (92.1%) were included for final analysis. The VD of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) did not differ between the two groups. The mean VD of the deep capillary plexus (DCP) and the choriocapillaris (CC) was significantly lower in the foveal sector of the COVID-19 group compared to healthy controls. Within the post-COVID-19 group, the lowest DCP and CC foveal VD values were recorded in patients treated with antiviral therapy; no differences were observed among COVID-19 patients with other comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disease) or taking antiplatelet therapy. DCP and CC foveal VD were significantly lower in patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) than asymptomatic patients.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Foveal vessel density at the level of DCP and CC was reduced in post-COVID-19 patients. Further studies evaluating these changes over time will be needed to corroborate the hypothesis of a microvascular retinal impairment in individuals who have recently recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2022.927121","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]],"date-time":"2022-06-28T05:36:20Z","timestamp":1656394580000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Analysis of Vessel Density Indices in Early Post-COVID-19 Patients"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Flavia","family":"Chiosi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Campagna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michele","family":"Rinaldi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gianluigi","family":"Manzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Roberto","family":"dell'Omo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Fiorentino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mario","family":"Toro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fausto","family":"Tranfa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"D'Andrea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Magdalena","family":"Rejdak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ciro","family":"Costagliola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTH.S295283","article-title":"Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through the ocular route","volume":"15","author":"Qu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.5935\/0004-2749.20200067","article-title":"Sardi-Correa, C, L\u00f3pez-Ulloa JA, Viteri-Soria J, Penniecook JA, Jimenez-Rom\u00e1n J, Lansingh VC. COVID-19 and the eye: how much do we really know? A best evidence review","volume":"83","author":"Emparan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arq Bras Oftalmol."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"620412","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2020.620412","article-title":"Do ocular fluids represent a transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 infection?","volume":"7","author":"Petronio","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Med."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"844","DOI":"10.1111\/jth.14768","article-title":"Sun Z. Abnormal coagulation parameters are associated with poor prognosis in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia","volume":"18","author":"Tang","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Thromb Haemost."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcjo.2020.11.006","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography analysis of the retina in patients recovered from COVID-19: a case-control study","volume":"56","author":"Abrishami","year":"2021","journal-title":"Can J Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajo.2021.03.015","article-title":"Optical coherence tomography angiography features in post-COVID-19 pneumonia patients: a pilot study","volume":"227","author":"Cennamo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2157","DOI":"10.1007\/s00417-020-05070-3","article-title":"Gemelli against COVID-19 Post-Acute Care Study Group. Retinal capillary involvement in early post-COVID-19 patients: a healthy controlled study","volume":"259","author":"Savastano","year":"2021","journal-title":"Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17419","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-74446-6","article-title":"Retinal involvement and ocular findings in COVID-19 pneumonia patients","volume":"10","author":"Pirraglia","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci Rep."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajo.2021.08.022","article-title":"Comment on, optical coherence tomography angiography features in post-COVID-19 pneumonia patients: a pilot study","volume":"227","author":"Sousa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"332","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajo.2021.08.021","article-title":"Comment on: optical coherence tomography angiography features in post-COVID-19 pneumonia patients: a pilot study","volume":"234","author":"Wylega\u0142a","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajo.2021.09.019","article-title":"Teo, Alessandro Invernizzi, Giovanni Staurenghi, Chui Ming Gemmy Cheung. COVID-19 related retinal micro-vasculopathy - a review of current evidence","volume":"235","author":"Kelvin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1521-4036(200001)42:1&lt;17::AID-BIMJ17&gt;3.0.CO;2-U","article-title":"Munzel U. The nonparametric Behrens-Fisher problem: asymptotic theory and a small-sample approximation","volume":"42","author":"Brunner","year":"2000","journal-title":"Biom J."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1081","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn.2007.19.7.1081","article-title":"Improving lesion\u2013symptom mapping","volume":"19","author":"Rorden","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Cogn Neurosci."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1007\/s00265-008-0683-4","article-title":"Distribution-Free Two-Sample Comparisons in the Case of Heterogeneous Variances","volume":"63","author":"Neuhauser","year":"2009","journal-title":"Behav Ecol Sociobiol."},{"key":"B15","unstructured":"Diagnosis of Covid-19. Its Clinical Spectrum2020"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1016\/j.thromres.2020.06.029","article-title":"The hypercoagulable state in COVID-19: incidence, pathophysiology, and management","volume":"194","author":"Abou-Ismail","year":"2020","journal-title":"Thromb Res."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1743","DOI":"10.1111\/jth.14869","article-title":"High incidence of venous thromboembolic events in anticoagulated severe COVID-19 patients","volume":"18","author":"Llitjos","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Thromb Haemost."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"771","DOI":"10.1007\/s00417-021-05429-0","article-title":"Macular vessel density reduction in patients recovered from COVID-19: a longitudinal optical coherence tomography angiography study","volume":"260","author":"Abrishami","year":"2021","journal-title":"Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100878","DOI":"10.1016\/j.preteyeres.2020.100878","article-title":"Plexus-specific retinal vascular anatomy and pathologies as seen by projection-resolved optical coherence tomographic angiography","volume":"80","author":"Hormel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Prog Retin Eye Res."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2895","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm9092895","article-title":"Gemelli against COVID-post-acute care study group. Peripapillary retinal vascular involvement in early post-COVID-19 patients","volume":"9","author":"Savastano","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Clin Med."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"567","DOI":"10.1086\/590154","article-title":"No impairment of endothelial function or insulin sensitivity with 4 weeks of the HIV protease inhibitors atazanavir or lopinavir-ritonavir in healthy subjects without HIV infection: a placebo-controlled trial","volume":"47","author":"Dub\u00e9","year":"2008","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1076029620936776","DOI":"10.1177\/1076029620936776","article-title":"Viral coagulopathy in patients with COVID-19: treatment and care","volume":"26","author":"Kipshidze","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin Appl Thromb Hemost."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2022.927121\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,27]],"date-time":"2024-09-27T22:49:20Z","timestamp":1727477360000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2022.927121\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]]},"references-count":22,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2022.927121"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2022.927121","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,28]]},"article-number":"927121"}}