Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39542876›Full record

Observational studyGraefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie2025

Clinical and imaging characteristics associated with foveal neovascularization in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Melissa Yuan, Francesco Romano, Xinyi Ding, Mauricio Garcia, Itika Garg, Katherine Millner Overbey, Cade Bennett, Ioanna Ploumi, Isabella Stettler, Ines Lains and 8 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Melissa Yuan *Harvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Francesco Romano *Harvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Xinyi DingHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Mauricio GarciaHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Itika GargHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Katherine Millner OverbeyHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Cade BennettHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Ioanna PloumiHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Isabella StettlerHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Ines LainsHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Filippos VingopoulosHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Jocelyn RodriguezHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Nimesh A PatelRetina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Leo A KimRetina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Demetrios G VavvasRetina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Deeba HusainRetina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Joan W MillerRetina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
John B MillerHarvard Retinal Imaging Lab, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. john_miller@meei.harvard.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0109-9738

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess the prevalence of foveal neovascularization (FNV) and its associated clinical features in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) eyes.

methodsCross-sectional observational study. Participants underwent ultra-widefield photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and swept-source OCT angiography (SS-OCTA). FNV was defined as a hyperreflective lesion breaching the internal limiting membrane and displaying flow signal on OCTA, within 1-mm of foveal avascular zone. Vascular metrics were obtained from the ARI Network portal. Ischemic index (ISI) and inner choroid flow deficit percentage were calculated using FIJI from 12 × 12 and 6 × 6-mm scans, respectively. Logistic regression models were used to compare eyes with and without FNV.

resultsWe included 249 eyes of 164 patients (age: 58 [50-65] years). FNV was identified in 20 eyes (8%). Univariate logistic regression revealed significant associations between FNV and younger age (p = 0.03), higher maximal HbA1c (p = 0.04), worse visual acuity (VA) (p = 0.01), presence of disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL) (p = 0.01), no macular posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) (p = 0.03), neovascularization elsewhere (NVE) and at the disc (NVD) (p = 0.01 and p = 0.001), and greater ISI (p = 0.04). In multivariable analysis, a significant association remained between FNV and worse VA (p = 0.04), NVD (p < 0.001), DRIL (p < 0.001), and absence of macular PVD (p = 0.01). No associations were found with SS-OCTA vascular metrics.

conclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive characterization of FNV in PDR. FNV was identified in 8% of our cohort, being more prevalent in younger patients with severe PDR, as evidenced by NVD and DRIL presence. The absence of macular PVD may explain its association with younger age. KEY MESSAGES: What is known • Neovascularization at the fovea occurs rarely in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. • OCT and OCT-angiography can be used to evaluate foveal neovascularization, which may be associated with choroidal vascular abnormalities. What is new • Foveal neovascularization was seen in 8% of eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in this cohort. • Risk factors for foveal neovascularization included younger age, absence of macular posterior vitreous detachment, presence of neovascularization of the disc, and presence of disorganization of retinal inner layers. • We did not identify an association between foveal neovascularization and choroidal perfusion abnormalities in this study.

Indexed as

Diabetic RetinopathyFluorescein AngiographyFovea CentralisRetinal NeovascularizationRetinal VesselsTomography, Optical CoherenceVisual AcuityAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesFundus OculiHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesFoveal neovascularizationOptical coherence tomography angiographyProliferative diabetic retinopathyRetinal neovascularization

Identifiers

PMID39542876

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.