Hellp syndrome-related hypertensive chorioretinopathy: A multimodal imaging and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) study

Eur J Ophthalmol. 2023 Jan;33(1):NP88-NP91. doi: 10.1177/11206721211051238. Epub 2021 Oct 12.

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy may be associated to unique retinal disorders and is associated to worsening of retinal disease that also occurs in non-pregnant females. We report a case of chorioretinopathy caused by pre-eclampsia associated to HELLP (Hemolysis-Elevated-Liver enzymes and Low Platelet count) syndrome.

Methods: Multimodal Imaging features of HELLP syndrome-related hypertensive chorioretinopathy including retinography, Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT), Fluorescein angiography (FA), Indocyanine-green angiography (ICG) along with OCT-angiography (OCTA) are presented and discussed.

Results: Multimodal imaging and OCTA show both retinal and choroidal involvement by HELLP syndrome, resolved after hypertension treatment.

Conclusions: Multimodal imaging is useful to study HELLP syndrome-related hypertensive chorioretinopathy. Moreover, OCTA is a new technology able to study and follow the circulatory status of the choriocapillaris during the disease.

Keywords: HELLP syndrome; OCTA; Optical coherence tomography angiography; hypertensive chorioretinopathy; multimodal imaging; pregnancy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy*
  • Choroid
  • Choroid Diseases* / complications
  • Choroid Diseases* / etiology
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods
  • HELLP Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Hypertension*
  • Multimodal Imaging / methods
  • Pregnancy
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods