Purpose: To evaluate the changes in retinal vascularity in patients with severe psoriasis.
Materials and methods: Patients with severe psoriasis [psoriasis area-severity index (PASI) >10] who did not get any systemic treatment in the last year and do not have any ocular diseases were included. All patients underwent detailed ophthalmological examination, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). Vessel densities (VD) of Superficial (SCP) and deep (DCP) capillary plexus, foveal avascular zone (FAZ) diameter, central retinal thickness (CRT) were analyzed and compared with age-sex matched healthy adults.
Results: Fifty-three patients (13 F, 40 M) and 56 controls (16 F, 40 M) were included in the study. VD of SCP (50.4%±3.9 vs. 51.4%±3.2) and DCP (52.6%±6.4 vs. 55.4%±5.7) were lower in psoriasis group compared to controls (p < .05). Presence of psoriatic arthritis was related with an increased CRT (p = .000), larger FAZ and decreased foveal VD in SCP (p = .01, p = .02, respectively).
Conclusion: Severe psoriasis causes a decrease in retinal blood flow and presence of psoriatic arthritis is related with decreased foveal VD.
Keywords: Optical coherence tomography angiography; PASI; psoriasis; retinal vascularity; vessel density.