Correlation between high myopia paravascular abnormalities and myopic traction maculopathy

Xuejing LI; Zhaoyang CAI; Jialiang DUAN; Qingli SHANG

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To observe the morphological characteristics of high myopia (HM) paravalvular abnormalities (PVA), and the correlation between different manifestations of PVA and myopic traction maculopathy (MTM) was analyzed.

Methods:

A cross-sectional clinical study. A total of 42 middle-aged and elderly patients with HM and PVA diagnosed by ophthalmology examination in Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June to December 2021 were included in the study. There were 24 eyes in 16 males and 48 eyes in 26 females. Age was (56.71±8.10) years old. Diopter was (-13.05±3.10) D. Axial length (AL) was (28.22±1.04) mm. According to the characteristics of ultra-wide-angle optical coherence tomography images, PVA morphology was divided into paravascular microfolds (PM), paravascular cysts (PC) and paravascular lamellar holes (PLH). MTM was divided into T0-T5 grades, of which MTM≥T3 was defined as severe MTM. The state of vitreoretinal junction was observed and the state of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) was recorded, which divided into complete PVD and partial PVD. Partial PVD was divided into macular fovea adhesions and paravascular adhesions according to the vitreoretinal adhesions. Posterior scleral staphyloma (PS) was divided into 6 types by ultra-wide-angle fundus photography. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors related to MTM.

Results:

In 72 eyes, PM, PC and PLH were 72 (100.0%, 72/72), 62 (86.1%, 62/72) and 29 (40.3%, 29/72) eyes, respectively. Among them, there were 10 (13.9%, 10/72) eyes with PM alone, 33 (45.8%, 33/72) eyes with PM and PC, and 29 (40.3%, 29/72) eyes with PM, PC and PLH, respectively. There were 42 eyes with partial PVD (58.3%, 42/72), among which the macular fovea and paravascular adhesion were 22 (52.4%, 22/42) and 24 (57.1%, 24/42) eyes, respectively. PS was present in 50 eyes (69.4%, 50/72), among which 27 (54.0%, 27/50), 21 (42.0%, 21/50), 1 (2.0%, 1/50), and 1 (2.0%, 1/50) eyes were types Ⅰ to Ⅳ, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that AL[odds ratio ( OR)=16.139, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 4.062-64.120, P<0.001], PS ( OR=4.212, 95% CI 1.234-14.378, P=0.022), paravascular vitreoretinal adhesion (OR=3.478, 95% CI 11.124, P=0.036) were risk factors for PM, PC and PLH. MTM was present in 58 eyes (80.6%, 58/72), among which T1 was the most common type in 19 eyes (26.4%, 19/72). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of MTM was significantly correlated to PS ( OR=4.190, 95% CI 1.240-14.157, P=0.021), coexistence of PM, PC and PLH ( OR=11.323, 95% CI 1.389-92.311, P=0.023), and PS were significantly correlated. There was no correlation with PVD ( OR=1.889, 95% CI 0.580-6.150, P=0.291) or PS ( OR=2.778, 1.786; 95% CI 0.700-11.023; 0.445-7.167; P=0.146, 0.413). There was significant difference in the incidence of severe MTM between PM alone, PM combined with PC and coexistence of PM, PC and PLH ( χ2=20.943, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

PM is the most common and earliest manifestation of PVA in middle-aged and elderly HM patients. AL, PS and paravascular vitreoretinal adhesion are risk factors for PM, PC and PLH. The coexistence of three PVA forms may be a marker of severe MTM.