• DOI:10.1038/srep17183
• Corpus ID: 6727655

A prospective case-control study to investigate retinal microvascular changes in acute dengue infection

@article{Tan2015APC,
  title={A prospective case-control study to investigate retinal microvascular changes in acute dengue infection},
  author={Petrina Tan and David Chien Boon Lye and Tun Kuan Yeo and Carol Yim-lui Cheung and Tun Linn Thein and Joshua Guo Xian Wong and Rupesh V Agrawal and Lingjun Li and Tien Yin Wong and Victor C. Gan and Yee Sin Leo and Stephen Teoh},
  journal={Scientific Reports},
  year={2015},
  volume={5}
}

• Petrina Tan, D. Lye, +9 authors S. Teoh
• Published 25 November 2015
• Medicine
• Scientific Reports

Dengue infection can affect the microcirculation by direct viral infection or activation of inflammation. We aimed to determine whether measured retinal vascular parameters were associated with acute dengue infection. Patients with acute dengue were recruited from Communicable Diseases Center, Singapore and age-gender-ethnicity matched healthy controls were selected from a population-based study. Retinal photographs were taken on recruitment and convalescence. A spectrum of quantitative retinal microvascular parameters (retinal vascular caliber, fractal dimension, tortuosity and branching angle) was measured using a semi-automated computer-based program. (Singapore I Vessel Assessment, version 3.0). We included 62 dengue patients and 127 controls. Dengue cases were more likely to have wider retinal arteriolar and venular calibers (158.3 μm vs 144.3 μm, p < 0.001; 227.7 μm vs 212.8 μm, p < 0.001; respectively), higher arteriolar and venular fractal dimensions (1.271 vs 1.249, p = 0.002; 1.268 vs. 1.230, p < 0.001, respectively), higher arteriolar and venular tortuosity (0.730 vs 0.546 [x104], p < 0.001; 0.849 vs 0.658 [x104], p < 0.001; respectively), compared to controls. Resolution of acute dengue coincided with decrease in retinal vascular calibers and venular fractal dimension. Dengue patients have altered microvascular network in the retina; these changes may reflect pathophysiological processes in the immune system.