RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Sickle cell retinopathy is the main ophthalmologic complication of sickle cell syndrome. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography-angiography (OCT-A) permit demonstration of central retinal involvement. The goal of this study is to determine whether central retinal involvement is predictive of peripheral retinal ischemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective study of 31 patients with sickle cell disease who underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination. We focused on capillary density of the superficial and deep plexuses and the central avascular surface by OCT-A, and retinal layer thickness by OCT. All of the findings obtained by OCT-A and OCT were classified according to the Goldberg stages on fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: A thinning of the mean and temporal deep plexus capillary layer as well as a loss of the temporal density of the superficial plexus capillaries are significantly higher in the case of proliferative sickle cell retinopathy (P=<0.05). A significant negative correlation is observed between the mean and temporal density of the superficial (R=-0.31; P=0.02 and R=-0.43; P=0.0009) and deep plexus capillaries (R=-0.39; P=0.003 et R=-0.43; P=0.0009) and the Goldberg stage in fluorescein angiography. CONCLUSION: The study of the temporal capillary densities of the superficial and deep plexuses on OCT angiography may prove to be a useful tool for the ophthalmologist in order to diagnose patients at risk for proliferative sickle cell retinopathy.
