CHARACTERIZATION BY FRACTAL DIMENSION ANALYSIS OF THE RETINAL CAPILLARY NETWORK IN PARKINSON DISEASE

Abstract

Purpose: 

To characterize retinal capillary complexity by optical coherence tomography angiography in Parkinson disease.

Method: 

Twenty-five Parkinson disease patients and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited. Optical coherence tomography angiography and optical coherence tomography imaged the superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses and retinal structure. Retinal capillary skeleton density, retinal capillary perfusion density, and fractal dimension analysis of retinal capillary complexity were performed in the total annular zone and quadrant sectors. The thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer, and total retinal thickness were extracted from retinal structural images. Relationships among the retinal capillaries, retinal structure, and clinical parameters were analyzed.

Results: 

The superficial retinal capillary plexus in Parkinson disease patients had lower retinal capillary skeleton and perfusion densities and capillary complexity in the total annular zone and all quadrant sectors compared with healthy control subjects. The deep retinal capillary plexus retinal capillary complexity was decreased in the total annular zone and the superior and inferior quadrants. The retinal capillary complexity in the inferior quadrant was negatively correlated with the best-corrected visual acuity and disease duration (r = −0.61, r = −0.43, respectively, both P < 0.05).

Conclusion: 

As determined by fractal analysis, retinal capillary complexity can be an objective biomarker in Parkinson disease.

In Brief

This is the first study to identify and characterize by optical coherence tomography angiography and fractal analysis, the decrease in retinal capillary complexity in Parkinson disease. The decreased complexity was negatively correlated with the best-corrected visual acuity and disease duration.