Retinal morphology across the menstrual cycle: insights from the UK Biobank
Oestradiol and progesterone levels are higher in menstruating women than men of the same age, and their receptors are present in their neurosensory retina and retinal pigment epithelium. However, the impact of this hormonal environment on retinal physiology in women remains unclear. Using self-reported menstrual cycle phases as a surrogate for fluctuating hormonal levels, we investigated associations with retinovascular indices on colour fundus photograph and retinal thickness in optical coherence tomography across regularly menstruating women in the UK Biobank. We found no differences in retinal thickness across the cycle; however, vessel density, arteriolar and venular, and fractal dimension were higher in the luteal phase than follicular. The calibre of the central retinal vessels did not differ. This study suggests that the menstrual cycle phase might be associated with retinal microvasculature density in non-invasive imaging. It raises awareness for this understudied area, providing insights into neuroscience fields and epidemiological studies.
Authors
- Pearse A. Keane (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9239-745X)
- Robbert Struyven (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2201-859X)
- Konstantinos Balaskas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2886-6896)
- Elena Greco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6307-8687)
- Siegfried K. Wagner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4915-4353)
- Paul J. Foster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4755-177X)
- Axel Petzold (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0344-9749)
- Stamatina Iliodromiti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6453-6654)
- Sobha Sivaprasad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8952-0659)
- Praveen J. Patel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8682-4067)
- Nikolas Pontikos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1782-4711)
- Zihan Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5001-7113)
- Anthony P. Khawaja
- Ana Paula Ribeiro Reis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5570-5794)
- Estelle Ioannidou
Institutions
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Queen Mary University of London (GB)
- Barts Health NHS Trust (GB)
- Royal London Hospital (GB)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (GB)
- University College London (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Women s Health
- Published
- 2024-11-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-024-00042-y
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Retinal and Optic Conditions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.62
Funders
- Apellis Pharmaceuticals
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine
- Santen
- Heidelberg Engineering
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Allergan
- Medical Research Council
- Alcon Research Institute