Correlation between fundus color and retinal microcirculation in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

PURPOSE: This study quantified retinal color parameters from fundus photography and integrated microcirculatory metrics from retinal oximetry, optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and color doppler imaging (CDI) to investigate the specific application of fundus color in assessing microcirculation in type 2 diabetic Mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: Participants underwent fundus photography, retinal oximetry, OCTA, and CDI. Fundus color features were extracted using Photoshop and Python based on Red-Green-Blue (RGB), Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage Color Space (Lab), and Hue-Saturation-Value (HSV) models. Microvascular parameters were assessed via oximetry, OCTA, and CDI. Data were analyzed with SPSS 24.0. RESULTS: (r=-0.412, P= 0.000, Q = 0.000), and d-V (r=-0.215, P = 0.038, Q = 0.323), and positively with A-V (r = 0.387, P= 0.000, Q = 0.000) and FD-300 (r = 0.270, P = 0.009, Q = 0.115). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative fundus color may serve as a non-invasive potential surrogate marker for systemic state and retinal microcirculatory status of T2DM.