Changes in fundus by optical coherence tomography in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exerts a negative impact on various tissues and organs throughout the body due to chronic hypoxia. The retina and choroid are implicated in this process, and the application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables the detection of potential changes in the fundus. This study aims to explore and discuss OCT-assisted fundus alterations in individuals with COPD by undertaking a systematic review.

Materials and methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted in adherence to the PRISMA checklist. Exclusion criteria encompassed articles published in non- peer-reviewed journals or unpublished literature. Consistent criteria were applied during both the title-and-abstract screening and full-text screening phases. Inclusion criteria comprised research conducted in the English language and published after 1993. Selection criteria were articulated in accordance with PICOS. Articles falling within the purview of meta-analyses, systematic reviews, guidelines, case reports, pilot studies, and non-human studies (e.g., laboratory research) were excluded from consideration.

Results: A total of 68 articles were initially identified, 10 reports met inclusion criteria and were included in qualitative analysis. In Turkey were conducted 8 studies and 2 studies in Egypt. All the studies included are case-control designed. Above-mentioned changes in retina were studied in 10 cases and found in 8 of them. In the same time changes in choroid were studied in 9 cases and found in 6 of them.

Conclusions: The findings of this systematic review indicate that, as observed through OCT, chronic hypoxia and systemic inflammation resulting from COPD predominantly impact the retina and choroid.