Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39698494›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in cell and developmental biology2024

The protective role of gamma zone peripapillary atrophy in diabetic retinopathy: insights from deep learning and SS-OCT angiography.

Yingying Li, Xinxin Hu, Xueqiong Ye, Qingya Zhong, Xixi Zhang, Jinglin Zhu, Jiahui Jiang, Dandan Wang, Juntao Zhang, Weina Ren and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Morphological changes of β-Zone Peripapillary Atrophy (β-PPA) in children with type 1 Diabetes: A longitudinal study.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
    Observational
  2. Article
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

13 authors.

Yingying Li *Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Xinxin Hu *Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Xueqiong YeDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Qingya ZhongDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Xixi ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Jinglin ZhuDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Jiahui JiangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Dandan WangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Juntao ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Weina RenDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Yitian ZhaoLaboratory of Advanced Theranostic Materials and Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China.
Qinkang LuDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Na ZhaoDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the relationship between peripapillary atrophy (PPA) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), and to uncover potential mechanisms using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) angiography. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 845 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), who underwent detailed systemic and ophthalmic evaluations. A state-of-the-art deep learning method was employed to precisely identify the parapapillary beta and gamma zones. Based on PPA characteristics, eyes were categorized into four groups: without beta or gamma zone (Group A), isolated beta zone (Group B), isolated gamma zone (Group C), and with both beta and gamma zone (Group D). Digital fundus photography was utilized to diagnose and stage DR severity, while SS-OCT angiography quantified retinal and choroidal vasculature. Results: Participants had a mean age of 66 ± 8.8 years, with 437 (51.7%) male. Beta and gamma PPA zones were observed in 574 (67.9%) and 256 (30.3%) eyes, respectively. Beta zone PPA was associated with older age, whereas gamma zone PPA was correlated with longer axial length (AL), lower vessel density, and reduced choroidal thickness. Adjusted analyses revealed that eyes with isolated (Group C) or concurrent (Group D) gamma zone PPA conferred significantly lower DR grade, independent of known risk factors including systemic diabetes risk factors and AL. Conclusion: This study finds that gamma zone PPA is linked to a reduced risk of developing DR. These results imply that the gamma zone may reflect progressive myopia-associated thinning and microvascular depletion in posterior ocular tissues, potentially contributing to structural resilience against DR. This novel insight offers a promising avenue for understanding the interplay between PPA and DR.

Indexed as

deep learningdiabetic retinopathygamma zoneoptical coherence tomography angiographyperipapillary atrophy

Identifiers

PMID39698494
PMCPMC11653018

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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.