Correlation of hyperreflective dots on optical coherence tomography images with blood lipid level and inflammatory indicators in patients with retinal vein occlusion

Objective The primary intent of this research was to explore the possible interconnection of hyperreflective dots on optical coherence tomography images with blood lipid level and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Methods A research cohort made up of 88 participants with a clinically confirmed diagnosis of retinal vein occlusion was recruited and they were divided into two groups: the branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) group (n = 56) and the central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) group (n = 32). The baseline clinical characteristics and peripheral blood-based laboratory biochemical test indices were statistically analyzed and comparatively evaluated, in conjunction with the analysis of their correlational relationships with the hyper-reflective foci identified on OCT imaging scans. Results The prevalence rate of hypertensive comorbidity was notably higher in the BRVO group, in contrast to the CRVO group. The results of peripheral blood laboratory biochemical parameter detection presented no statistically significant divergences across the two study groups ( P > 0.05). Within the BRVO group, statistical analysis uncovered a positive linear association connecting the number of hyper-reflective foci situated in the outer retinal layer on OCT imaging scans with serum total cholesterol concentrations (r = 0.302, P = 0.023). In the case of patients in the CRVO group, a statistically significant positive correlational relationship was determined between the numerical count of hyper-reflective foci present in the inner retinal layer on OCT scanning images and the serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (r = 0.421, P = 0.011). Exploratory analysis further indicated that, the overall numerical count of hyper-reflective foci observable on OCT imaging scans displayed a positive correlational trend with the serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (r = 0.295, P = 0.039). Conclusion The total number of hyper-reflective spots identified by means of OCT imaging manifested a positive correlational relationship with circulating serum lipid concentration levels in clinical cases diagnosed with BRVO, whereas in patients with CRVO, the count of such hyper-reflective spots exhibited a distinct correlational connection with the key inflammatory marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.