Decrement of choroid vascularization during spontaneous migraine attacks: An optical coherence tomography angiography study

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the microcirculation of the macula, the optic nerve, and the choroid in patients with migraine by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) during spontaneous migraine attacks, comparing the findings with scans performed in the interictal period in the same subjects and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: In this case-crossover design study, patients diagnosed with migraine who underwent an OCTA during a migraine attack were enrolled. A cohort of HCs was recruited for comparison. Data from ocular and orthotic examinations and clinical and demographical information were collected. All subjects were imaged with Solix full range OCT, recording the following parameters: macular vessel density (VD), inside disc VD, peripapillary VD, disc whole image VD, fovea choriocapillaris VD, fovea VD, parafovea VD, peripapillary thickness, fovea thickness, parafovea thickness, macular full retinal thickness, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ).

Results: Thirteen patients (26 eyes individually assessed) with a diagnosis of migraine were included (9 without aura [69.2%] and 4 with aura [30.7%], with a mean age of 25.2 ± 3.4 years) and scanned during the ictal and interictal phase. Fifteen age-matched HCs (30 eyes individually assessed) were included. The foveal choriocapillaris VD was significantly lower in the ictal phase (63.3 ± 2.47%) compared to the interictal phase in the same patients (64.9 ± 2.79%) (p = 0.0019). Comparing the ictal scans from migraine patients and HCs, the FAZ area was significantly larger, and the inside disc, fovea, and fovea choriocapillaris VDs were significantly lower.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated a dynamic decrement in choroidal vascularization in migraine patients during spontaneous migraine attacks.