Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42608134›Full record

ArticleLupus science & medicine2026

Subclinical ocular microvascular involvement in primary antiphospholipid syndrome and antiphospholipid antibody carriers.

Maria Iacovantuono, Carolina Nesi, Mattia Iuliano, Sara Ferrigno, Elisabetta Greco, Barbara Kroegler, Raffaele Mancino, Alessio Martucci, Carlo Nucci, Maria Sole Chimenti and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Lupus science & medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Maria IacovantuonoRheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of System Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy mariaiacovantuono@gmail.com.ORCID 0009-0002-4963-0663
Carolina NesiOphthalmology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Mattia IulianoOphthalmology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Sara FerrignoRheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of System Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Elisabetta GrecoRheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of System Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Barbara KroeglerRheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of System Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Raffaele MancinoOphthalmology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Alessio MartucciOphthalmology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Carlo NucciOphthalmology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Maria Sole ChimentiRheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of System Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Ricard CerveraHospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Massimo CesareoOphthalmology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Paola ConigliaroRheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of System Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7905-8413

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesInvestigate the role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in determining subclinical microvascular alterations in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and antiphospholipid carriers, using posterior segment optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT).

methodsIn this monocentric, cross-sectional study, PAPS and aPL-carrier patients and age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. OCTA and OCT were performed to assess vessel density (VD) in the superficial and deep retinal capillary plexi and to obtain high-resolution sectional retinal images.

results38 patients from the aPL-cohort (30 PAPS and 8 aPL-carriers) and 32 matched healthy controls were enrolled. OCTA revealed reduced superficial and deep whole en face VD, particularly at the parafoveal level. SD-OCT demonstrated thinning of the central and outer regions of peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer and of the macular, inner and outer plexiform, nuclear and nerve fibre layers. Increased thickness was observed in the inner inferior and superior regions across all retinal layers. No significant associations were found between OCTA parameters and disease duration, thrombotic risk profile, lupus anticoagulant positivity, cumulative drug exposure or treatments with low-dose aspirin or vitamin K antagonists. However, the VD in the superficial whole en face and parafoveal regions remained significantly reduced in the aPL-cohort after adjustment for age and cardiovascular risk factors.

conclusionSubclinical microvascular and structural damage occurs in aPL positive patients without ocular symptoms. This study suggests a possible independent effect of aPL, making the eye a unique, non-invasive window into aPL-related pathogenic mechanisms for early detection and longitudinal monitoring.

Indexed as

Antibodies, AntiphospholipidAntiphospholipid SyndromeMicrovesselsRetinal VesselsAdultCase-Control StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTomography, Optical CoherenceAntibodies, AntiphospholipidAntibodiesAntibodies, AnticardiolipinAntibodies, AntiphospholipidAntiphospholipid SyndromeMicrocirculation

Identifiers

PMID42608134
PMCPMC13504883

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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.