Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Cardio-Ocular Syndrome: Retinal Microvascular Changes in Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure
- Observational study
- age-matched controls
Authors' conclusion
This analysis revealed a remarkable reversible change in retinal microvasculature after ADHF.
Study context
- Population
- Adults hospitalised with acute decompensated HF (mean age 78.9 years, 32% female, mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 43%)
- Participants
- 40 vs 40
- Exposure
- Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) on admission vs controls, and admission vs discharge after recompensation
- ADHFn = 40
- Controlsn = 40reference
- Outcome
- Changes in retinal microvasculature (optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography)
- Follow-up
- Within 24 h of admission and after recompensation before discharge
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Retinal findings, ADHF on admission vs controls · admission
| Group | Visual acuity (logMAR) | Macular vessel density (mm/mm²) | Perfusion density | Superior temporal retinal vein diameter (μm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADHF | 0.35 ± 0.1 | 14.3 ± 3.6 | 35.2 ± 9.7% | 136 ± 19 |
| Controls | 0.15 ± 0.1 | 18.0 ± 1.9 | 42.6 ± 3.2% | 124 ± 22 |
- ADHF vs Controls: P < 0.001 — visual acuity impaired
- ADHF vs Controls: P < 0.001 — vessel density reduced
- ADHF vs Controls: P < 0.001 — perfusion density reduced
- ADHF vs Controls: P = 0.008 — retinal vein diameter larger
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Retinal changes after recompensation (ADHF, admission vs discharge)
- Vessel density increased, 14.3 ± 3.6 vs 19.7 ± 2.6 mm/mm²
- P = 0.001
- Perfusion density increased, 35.2 ± 9.7 vs 39.2 ± 6.5%
- P = 0.005
- Superior temporal retinal vein diameter decreased to 122 ± 15 μm
- P < 0.001
NT-proBNP and IVC diameter, baseline vs discharge
- NT-proBNP 10 396 [IQR 6410] vs 6380 [IQR 3933] pg/ml
- P ≤ 0.001
- IVC diameter 2.13 ± 0.4 vs 1.63 ± 0.3 cm
- P = 0.003
Original publication
Cardio-Ocular Syndrome: Retinal Microvascular Changes in Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure. Eur J Heart Fail. Published 24 September 2024. doi:10.1002/ejhf.3474
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it