Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Optical coherence tomography angiography detects retinal microvascular changes in giant cell arteritis: the potential protective role of aortitis
Authors' conclusion
Our study reveals microvascular alterations in GCA, even in the absence of visual symptoms.
Study context
- Population
- Newly diagnosed, untreated giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients and healthy controls assessed with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of the optic nerve headprospectively enrolled
- Participants
- 60 vs 69
- Comparison
- Newly diagnosed, untreated GCA vs healthy controls
- GCAn = 60
- Healthy controlsn = 69reference
- Outcome
- Vessel density in outer ring (1 mm) of superficial retinal plexus (OCTA), discrimination of GCA
Methodological detailsdiagnostic utility, multivariable regression
- Diagnostic utility
- Multivariable regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
R
0.28
P = 0.001
reduced density; strongest OCTA-derived discriminator, independent of visual symptoms
Β (multivariable regression, lower superficial plexus density)
−0.22
P = 0.015
Vessel density in outer ring (1 mm) of superficial retinal plexus (OCTA), discrimination of GCA
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Association of OCTA alterations with OGUS and aortic involvement (GCA)
- Calculated OGUS vs OCTA alterations, ρ (positive), p=0.03
- 0.28
- Aortic involvement vs OCTA alterations, ρ (inverse), p=0.02
- −0.32
Predictors of visual symptoms
- Age, only independent predictor, β, p=0.013
- 0.173
Original publication
Optical coherence tomography angiography detects retinal microvascular changes in giant cell arteritis: the potential protective role of aortitis. RMD Open. Published 10 November 2025. doi:10.
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